integrated framework for evaluating chronic lung injury severity in chemical exposure victims

Aims: lung injuries caused by exposure to chemical agents, such as mustard gas, represent one of the most significant long-term complications in chemical veterans. these injuries differ from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in etiology and require specific diagnostic and therapeutic methods. this study aimed to provide a framework for the diagnosis and assessment of the severity of chronic lung injuries in chemical casualties to assist physicians in clinical decision-making and improve patient management.materials & methods: this applied and evidence-based study was conducted on 15 males who suffered from chronic lung injury due to chemical agents. the framework used included the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease assessment test, clinical chronic obstructive pulmonary disease questionnaire, and chronic respiratory disease questionnaire, as well as the pulmonary function test. to classify the severity of chronic lung injury, the majority voting algorithm was employed.findings: there was a strong correlation between the questionnaire scores and the pulmonary function test results. a strong positive correlation (r=0.95) was observed between the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease assessment test results and the physician’s clinical opinion, while a strong negative correlation (r=-0.93) was noted between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease assessment test scores and the forced expiratory volume in one second ratio. additionally, there was a strong positive correlation (r=0.72) between the clinical chronic obstructive pulmonary disease questionnaire results and the physician’s opinion, and a strong inverse correlation (r=-0.86) between clinical chronic obstructive pulmonary disease questionnaire scores and forced expiratory volume in one second. conclusion: the used framework is an effective tool for the rapid and accurate assessment of the severity of chronic lung injury in chemical casualties.