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Aim: To make prognosis of ulcer morbidity and lethality from its complications for the near future basing on the trends in ulcer morbidity and lethality for the last 10 years; to assess ulcer patients' followup quality and coverage., Material and Methods: Time series statistics of general, primary ulcer morbidity and lethality from ulcer complications in the Udmurt republic for the last 10 years have been analysed as well as expert evaluation of the treatment quality and follow-up of ulcer patients by 156 outpatients' cards and 118 disease histories., Results: General and primary gastrointestinal ulcer incidence in Udmurt republic in 1992-2001 decreased significantly but ulcer morbidity did not change. Lethality from ulcer complications rose 1.8-fold. The predicted lethality rise in 2003-2006 proved valid., Conclusion: If social and economic conditions in the republic do not change and public health service reforms remain low effective, further deterioration of the above lethality is predicted.

Simultaneous study of immune state and HLA-testing was conducted for 73 patients with pneumoconiosis and 52 sufferers from dust bronchitis. The HLA antigens appeared to correlate with immune disorders in those diseases. The study revealed differences in the HLA antigens causing immune changes in pneumoconiosis and dust bronchitis. Those differences corresponded to differences between the markers of propensity to those diseases. Thus, the authors assume that formation of pneumoconiosis or dust bronchitis could depend on genetically determined variants of immune disorders.

A study of 206 machine builders in dynamics (up to 15 years) with dust-induced bronchitis showed that the disease has a tendency to advancing within the first three years, especially in those with a combination of noxious professional factors (dust, heat, hard physical work). Negative risk factors: working conditions, preceding unspecific respiratory infections, smoking.

The efficacy of follow-up was evaluated in 83 patients facing complicated dust bronchitis of 2 and 3 grades. An active follow-up group was treated by immunopotentiators in clinic every 3-4 months so as to prevent recurrences, while the passive follow-up group received the stationary treatment only once a year. Observations within 3 years showed a great efficiency of the active follow-up combined with the antirecurrence treatment given 3-4 times a year. Immune status was stressed to improve in connection with the clinical relief.

A 25 follow-up of 604 pneumoconiosis patients indicates that in machine-builders of modern production the pneumoconiosis process has a relatively favourable course excluding those workers who are exposed to the effect of large concentrations of quartz-containing dust. The leading factor of risk for advancing of fibrosis is tuberculous infection.

A positive immunomodulatory effect was found in chronic bronchitis patients examined immunologically before and after treatment including chlotazol. T- and B-cell immunity recovered, clinical condition of the patients improved. A combination of known antimicrobial and antiinflammatory effects with an uncovered immunomodulatory one made chlotazol a valuable modality in the treatment of chronic bronchitis associated with secondary immune deficiency.

Mass screenings (2455 persons) evidence high incidence of chronic bronchitis among workers of dust-related professions in the machine-building industry (foundry workers, electric welders, etc.) as compared with workers not subjected to effects of the dust factor. The frequency of chronic bronchitis was effected by length of work, character of dust profession, age, smoking.

The article provides a study of pneumoconiosis morbidity rate in machine-building industry workers in 1967-1986. The pneumoconiosis prevalence was ranging from 3.9 to 0.8 cases per 1000 medical examinations performed. The disease's initial forms were predominantly diagnosed through considerably frequent (30%) cases of anthraco-tuberculosis. More complicated forms of dust bronchitis were studied in 1971-1988 and registered at approximately 1 case per 1000 medical examinations. A vivid trend towards pneumoconiosis morbidity decrease and respective age and duration of work indices' growth was found in the latter decade, which was explained by more persistent measures taken towards working conditions improvement.