Nebulizer therapy in rehabilitation of dust obstructive bronchitis

Abstract

In recent years, the socio-medical significance of chronic respiratory diseases has increased significantly. The treatment and prevention of these diseases has evolved from a purely medical issue to a national one, driven by high morbidity rates and their significant contribution to early disability and mortality. According to the State Statistics Committee of Russia, respiratory diseases account for up to 35.4% of all chronic occupational diseases in the Russian Federation. The number of workers exposed to industrial pollutants at work, which are the main factor contributing to the development of chronic occupational bronchitis, is growing. Changing patterns of industrial aerosols and varying rates of morbidity for individual disease entities have led to a shift in the structure of occupational diseases in the Russian Federation, with a decrease in the incidence of pneumoconiosis and an increase in newly diagnosed cases of occupational bronchitis. The progressive decline in lung function, characteristic of patients with dust-induced obstructive bronchitis, requires the active use of additional therapeutic measures. The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a nebulized Atrovent delivery method in the medical rehabilitation of patients with dust-induced obstructive bronchitis. This nebulized therapy method was first tested and implemented in an occupational disease clinic for patients with dust-induced obstructive bronchitis. The advantages of a nebulized Atrovent delivery over metered-dose inhalers were demonstrated.