PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

B Hilt

Publications and source records attributed to B Hilt.

30 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Cancer incidence among asbestos-exposed chemical industry workers: an extended observation period.

A previous study on the incidence of cancer in a cohort of 286 asbestos-exposed electrochemical industry workers observed from 1953 through 1980 has been extended with another 8 years of follow-up. The incidence of cancer was derived from the Cancer Registry of Norway, and the expected figures were calculated by a life table method. During the extended follow-up period from 1981 through 1988, among the cohort members there were 12 new cancer cases versus 14.2 expected (SIR 85, 95% CI 44-158). In a lightly exposed sub-cohort, the extended follow-up revealed 4 cases of lung cancer or pleural mesothelioma (ICD, 7th revision 162-163) versus 1.6 cases expected (SIR 256, 95% CI71-654). In a heavily exposed sub-cohort, the corresponding figures were 3 and 0.5 (SIR 588, 95% CI 118-1,725).

Asbestos↗
PubMed1987

Lung function and respiratory symptoms in subjects with asbestos-related disorders: a cross-sectional study.

The prevalence of respiratory symptoms and lung function impairment was studied in a sample of men from a population screening of asbestos-related disorders. When the rates were adjusted for age and smoking habits, 83 subjects with lung fibrosis had an increased prevalence of respiratory symptoms, in particular, phlegm when coughing and breathlessness grades 1-3. Among 200 subjects under 70 years of age who had pleural plaques only, a statistically significant increase was observed in the prevalence of breathlessness grade 1 compared to an external reference population. Among 98 asbestos-exposed subjects who had normal chest X-rays, there was an increase in the prevalence of breathlessness grade 2, cough during the day, and phlegm when coughing. There was a higher proportion of subjects with lung fibrosis who were below 80% of the predicted values for forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) than in the other groups. There was also a higher proportion of subjects with pleural plaques only who were below 90% of the predicted value for FVC than in a group of 90 subjects without asbestos exposure. In accordance with previous studies, these results indicate that pleural plaques in asbestos workers may be of greater importance as a clinical feature than has been recognized in the past.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Non-malignant asbestos diseases in workers in an electrochemical plant.

The prevalence of non-malignant asbestos related disorders was studied in a group of men who had been subjected to different levels of asbestos exposure when working at an electrochemical plant producing nitric acid sometime between 1928 and 1970. There were 153 men eligible for an initial clinical examination in 1979-80 and that group has been followed up to 1985. Among the cohort members the "accumulated prevalence" of lung fibrosis alone or in combination with pleural plaques and of "pleural plaques only" was 24.2% and 24.8% respectively. The subgroup with the heaviest exposure had a total prevalence of asbestos related disorders of 82.5%. Only study subjects with lung fibrosis had statistically significant increased prevalences of respiratory symptoms. All subgroups from the study population, however, had mean spirometric values under the age, height, and smoking specific predicted means. Subjects with heavy asbestos exposure and current smoking had a prevalence of three or more respiratory symptoms of 28.8% compared with 5.6% among lightly exposed never smokers. Pleural crepitations at chest auscultation were more prevalent among subjects with radiologically visible asbestos related disorders than among study subjects with normal chest x ray films. During the follow up from 1980 to 1985, three cases of lung cancer, two of pleural malignant mesothelioma, and one of stomach cancer were found among the cohort members.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Asbestos-related findings in chest radiographs of the male population of the county of Telemark, Norway--a cross-sectional study.

In order to investigate the prevalence of asbestos-related diseases, a cross-sectional population study was conducted among 28,216 men aged 40 years in nine municipalities of the county of Telemark, Norway. In a primary radiographic screening 10 X 10-cm chest radiographs were taken of 21,483 persons. In two independent readings of the radiographs, pleural changes were observed in 6.9 and 8.5% of the study subjects. Radiographic findings in the primary screening led to 1,431 subjects being selected for a reexamination. On the basis of occupational histories and 40 X 40-cm chest radiographs, it was concluded that 470 of these subjects (2.2% of the screened population) had radiographic changes consistent with an asbestos-related disorder. Among these, 86 had lung fibrosis (82 in combination with pleural plaques) and 384 had pleural plaques only. There were marked differences in the occurrence of asbestos-related disorders between the seven urban and two rural communities studied, and agreement was observed between the occurrence of such disorders and the degree and duration of the reported asbestos exposure. The study presents evidence that asbestos-related disorders may be more prevalent in the general male population than has been recognized earlier.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Previous asbestos exposure and smoking habits in the county of Telemark, Norway--a cross-sectional population study.

A cross-sectional population study. Scand J Work Environ Health 12 (1986) 561-566. In order to study the number of persons previously exposed to asbestos in the general population, an investigation with a self-administered questionnaire and a screening with 10 X 10-cm chest radiographs was conducted among 28,216 men aged 40 years and over in nine municipalities in the county of Telemark, Norway. Among the 21,453 subjects who answered the questionnaire in the primary screening, 3,888 (18.1%) reported previous occupational exposure to asbestos. Of the exposed subjects 2,368 (61.4%) were less than 60 years of age, and 2,611 (69.9%) had been exposed for the first time after 1950. In regard to the degree of exposure, 77.7% considered their previous exposure to be light. Past and present smoking habits were recorded for all the subjects, and a high-risk group of 1,734 subjects with past exposure to asbestos and present smoking was identified. Approximately 270 incident cases of lung cancer can be expected among the 21,453 study subjects during the next 10 years, and it is estimated that about 110 of these cases will occur in the high-risk group with combined asbestos-cigarette exposure.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Asbestos exposure, smoking habits, and cancer incidence among production and maintenance workers in an electrochemical plant.

The incidence of cancer was studied in a cohort of 287 men who were exposed to asbestos at a nitric acid production plant from 1928 onwards. During the observation period from 1953 through 1980 all cancer cases among the cohort members were identified in The Cancer Registry. For the whole cohort 42 cases of cancer were observed versus 30.6 expected. The figures for cancer of the lungs and pleura combined were 17 observed versus 3.7 expected. The corresponding figures for a heavily exposed subcohort were 11 observed and 1.2 expected. In that group there was also an increased incidence of colon cancer with 3 cases observed against 0.8 cases expected. Within the whole cohort four cases of pleural and one case of peritoneal malignant mesothelioma were found. There was also an increased incidence of malignant melanoma of the skin with 3 cases observed against 0.6 expected. For cancer cases that were registered as of unknown origin there were 7 cases observed and 1.4 expected. There was no increased rate ratio for cancer at any site before 20 years after the first asbestos exposure. The smoking habits of all cohort members were recorded and the relative rates for lung cancer were calculated in relation to smoking habits. In common with previous studies the results indicate a multiplicative model for the interaction between asbestos exposure and smoking in regard to lung cancer risk.

Asbestos↗