Pneumoconiosis has one of the leading positions in occupational pathology at most industrial regions of Russia. This disease is characterized by torpid, slowly progressive course. The most frequent cause of death of working-aged patients with pneumoconiosis is the heart involvement. Using rhythmocardiography, the present authors have detected autonomic cardioneuropathy which is a pathogenic basis for early clinical manifestations of ischaemic heart disease in patients with pneumoconiosis.

Changes in serum concentrations of interferon-γ (INF-γ), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-4 (IL-4), immunoglobulin Е (IgE), С-reactive protein and in clinical status of patients with virus-induced exacerbation of bronchial asthma were studied before and after treatment with basic medications and interferon inductor tiloron. A positive influence of Tiloron on clinical signs and immunologic parameters, such as IL-4, TNF-α, INF-γ, IgE, and С-reactive protein, was found in 95 % of patients with moderate asthma. Thus, serum concentrations of these biomarkers in asthma patients could be used as an index of inflammatory response reflecting severity of the pathology and as an important criterion to choose the individual treatment.

Fifty-two patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) aged 44 to 71 yrs were examined. Of them, 26 ones suffered from type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). We established that in patients with concomitant DM, COPD has more severe course with more advanced respiratory failure and chronic cor pulmonale and more frequent exacerbations. COPD patients with concomitant DM more often have co-morbidity, such as obesity, ischemic heart disease, chronic heart failure. Co-morbidity of COLD and DM requires more extensive pharmacotherapy.

The study was aimed to evaluate efficiency of Inferon in treatment of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The study included 45 patients with COPD aged 59.7 ± 1.07 yrs in average. Of them, 23 patients received standard treatment and Inferon was administrated to 22 patients with COPD. In COPD patients, T-cell and humoral immunity disorders have been observed. Blood neutrophile activity and serum interferon-γ level were significantly reduced. Immune disorders and symptoms of disease persisted in the patients received the standard treatment. Therapy with Inferon improved immunity and the overall efficiency of the treatment. The results allow inclusion of Inferon in therapy of COPD patients.

Sixty-three patients with COPD and 82 patients with COPD and concomitant IHD have been examined. A leading role of hypoxemia in development of myocardiodystrophy and advantages of computed electrocardiotopography over other methods in detection myocardial dystrophic lesions have been demonstrated. Those lesions were more severe in the patients with co-existing COPD and IHD.