Long-term outcome of pulmonary function in farmer's lung : a 14 year follow-up with matched controls

The long-term outcome of pulmonary function was evaluated in farmer9s lung (FL) patients compared to representative control farmers. This is, to our knowledge, the first such study which has included a control group. Clinical examinations were conducted in 89 FL patients and 84 control farmers, matched by age, sex, and smoking habits. The mean time after the first diagnosed episode of FL was 14 yrs. The mean transfer factor of the lung for carbon monoxide (TL,CO) was on average 12% lower (p