Impact of Whole Lung Lavage on Pneumoconiosis Patients — China, 2018–2022

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS TOPIC? The application of whole lung lavage (WLL) for the clinical treatment of pneumoconiosis is prevalent in China. Several scholars have reported success in the treatment of early-stage pneumoconiosis. Nonetheless, the overall efficacy of WLL in the management of pneumoconiosis remains ambiguous. WHAT IS ADDED BY THIS REPORT? The preliminary evaluation of the effects of WLL on pneumoconiosis patients was conducted using follow-up data from 2020 to 2022, after controlling for confounding factors via propensity score matching. While the study found that WLL may improve some pneumoconiosis symptoms, no significant enhancements were observed in overall health status or quality of life. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE? The findings of this research indicate limited efficacy of WLL in treating patients with pneumoconiosis, thereby suggesting that it should not be utilized as a standard treatment procedure for this condition.