Barnikel M, et al. - In this retrospective analysis of asbestos exposed subjects with pleural plaques and asbestosis (n=93), researchers assessed the natural course of lung function and analyzed corresponding morphology of computer tomography of the thorax. At least twice, parameters of lung function were collected. They calculated annual changes of FVC, TLC and DLCOsb. Overall 56/93 (60.2%) patients had FU data available. FVC, TLC, DLCOsb, and DLCOva demonstrated an annual deterioration (Mean ± SEM) of −31.46 ± 17.34 ml, -55.55 ± 25.67 ml, −0.38 ± 0.07 mmol/min/kPa, and −0.05 ± 0.01 mmol/min/kPa/L, respectively. A progressive disease was suffered by more than 20% of the cohort, with an annual loss of FVC > −100 ml. Patients who were especially at risk were those with the fibrotic-phenotype or mixed-phenotype on high-resolution computer tomography of the thorax.