Due to years of exposure to high levels of pollutants, people in Delhi-NCR are facing structural changes in lungs, which may cause respiratory problems in the coming future. They might also develop serious complications following this and if they contract infections such as coronavirus infection.

Dr Nitin P Ghonge, senior consultant radiologist and academic coordinator, radiology department of Apollo hospital, said that they had recently conducted a study including 120 patients that showed people who are living in Delhi-NCR were twice as likely to have structural changes in lungs, which can lead to respiratory problems as compared to those people from other states like Bihar, Odisha and Bengal. Patients, who don’t have any history of smoking or any pre-existing lung disorder are visiting hospitals for medical reasons.

The radiology unit had performed CT densitometry, which is a software-based test allowing detection of fine changes in the lungs at an early stage and when it is not visible to human eyes during a routine CT scan reading.

Dr Ghonge further said that they found around 63% of the patients from Delhi-NCR had damaged lung structure as compared to 38% in the patients from other states. The findings give a message as an ongoing silent damage to the lungs of Delhi-NCR people due to air pollution is happening. Due to absence of suitable measures to improve the air quality, these results might gradually manifest on routine CT images and can also cause respiratory symptoms.

Source: ET Healthworld