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Biomedical subjects

M S Huuskonen

Publications and source records attributed to M S Huuskonen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Cancer incidence and mortality among Finnish asbestos sprayers and in asbestosis and silicosis patients.

Cohorts of Finnish asbestos sprayers and of asbestosis and silicosis patients were followed for cancer with the aid of the Finnish Cancer Registry in the period 1967-1994. Compared with the cancer incidence of the total Finnish population, asbestos sprayers had an increased risk for total cancer (standardized incidence ratio [SIR] 6.7, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 4.2-10); lung cancer (SIR 17.95% CI 8.2-31); and mesothelioma (SIR 263, 95% CI 85-614). The SIR of the asbestosis patients was 3.7 (95% CI 2.8-5.0) for all sites, 10 (95% CI 6.9-14) for lung cancer, and 65 (95% CI 13-188) for mesothelioma. The silicosis patients also had significantly high SIR values for all sites (1.5, 95% CI 1.0-2.1) and lung cancer (2.7, 95% CI 1.5-4.5). The values for the SIR and the standardized mortality ratio for all sites and lung cancer were very similar, and therefore it seems that both are reliable indicators of the occurrence of occupational cancer. It was concluded that pneumoconioses patients and asbestos-exposed workers have a markedly elevated risk for cancer. Asbestos-induced occupational cancers are not only diseases of the elderly, since the relative risk is high also for middle-aged people.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Screening for asbestos-induced diseases in Finland.

Screening for asbestos-induced diseases in Finland was carried out in 1990-1992 as a part of the Asbestos Program of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health. The aim of the present study was to find the workers who had developed an asbestos-induced disease in certain occupations. Examination of active or retired workers included a personal interview on work history and asbestos exposure, and a chest X-ray. The target group for the screening comprised workers under 70 years of age who had worked at least for 10 years in construction, 1 year in a shipyard or in the manufacture of asbestos products. A preliminary questionnaire was sent to 54,409 workers, 18,943 of whom finally participated in the screening examination. The mean age of the workers was 53 years; 95% were employed in construction, 2% in shipyards, and 3% in the asbestos industry. The criteria for a positive screening result were (1) a radiographic finding clearly indicating lung fibrosis (at least ILO category 1/1), (2) a radiographic finding indicating mild lung fibrosis (ILO category 1/0) with unilateral or bilateral pleural plaques, (3) marked abnormalities of the visceral pleura (marked adhesions with or without pleural thickening), or (4) bilateral pleural plaques. The positive cases totalled 4,133 (22%) and were sent for further investigation. In addition to the screening, information on the presence of asbestos in the work environment, prevention of asbestos exposure, as well as on the health effects of asbestos exposure and smoking were given to the participating workers. The screening acted as a preliminary survey to prompt further national follow-up of asbestos-induced diseases among the workers who have been exposed to asbestos. This article presents the material, methods, and overall results of the screening.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Finnish Institute of Occupational Health Asbestos Program 1987-1992.

In 1987-1992, the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH) implemented a nationwide asbestos program aimed at preventing asbestos-related risks in good cooperation with governmental authorities, industry, trade unions, the health care and insurance systems, and mass media. The goals were to minimize all exposure to asbestos, identify people exposed at work, and improve the diagnostics of asbestos diseases, especially cancers. The program entailed several concrete actions and extensive dissemination of information, training, services, and scientific research. As proposed by the State Asbestos Committee, new use of asbestos products was banned and strict regulations were applied to renovation and inspection of old buildings. The screening study of asbestos-induced diseases included 18,943 current and retired workers from house building, shipyard, and asbestos industries. Pleural and parenchymal changes were found in 4,133 persons (22%), who were referred to further clinical examinations as suspected cases of an occupational disease. It was estimated that past exposure of asbestos among the Finnish population of 5 million causes > 150 mesotheliomas and lung cancers annually, totalling > 2,000 asbestos-induced cancer deaths by the year 2010. Although several major control actions were made or started during the program, the bulk of the preventive work still lies ahead.

Asbestosis↗
PubMed1995

Radiographic small lung opacities and pleural abnormalities as a consequence of asbestos exposure in an adult population.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to estimate the role of past asbestos exposure as a cause of radiographic small lung opacities and pleural abnormalities in the Finnish adult population. METHODS: The study was conducted in 1978-1981 and was based on a population sample (N = 8000) representative of the Finnish population aged 30 years or over. Full-size chest radiographs and a complete job title history were available for 3811 women and 3274 men. The radiographs were classified according to the 1980 classification of radiographs of pneumoconioses published by the International Labour Office and the work histories according to the probability of occupational asbestos exposure. Age- and smoking-adjusted relative risks of radiographic parenchymal and pleural abnormalities were calculated with the analysis of covariance according to the probability of asbestos exposure. RESULTS: About 13% of the men and 0.8% of the women were classified as probably exposed to asbestos. There was more than 90% agreement in the repeated work history evaluations. The risk of small lung opacities was significantly increased among the probably exposed men [risk ratio (RR) 1.7 for ILO profusion category 1/1 or more and RR 1.6 for profusion category 1/0]. The risk of pleural plaques was increased both among the men (RR 3.0) and the women (RR 4.8) with probable exposure. The risk of thickened horizontal interlobar fissure was also increased among the probably exposed men (RR 1.7). Among the men, the etiologic fraction attributable to occupational asbestos exposure was about 30% for small lung opacities, about 40% for pleural plaques, and about 20% for thickened horizontal fissure. Among the women the etiologic fractions for asbestos were similar for pleural abnormalities, but much lower for parenchymal ones. CONCLUSIONS: Occupational asbestos exposure has been common among Finnish men, and it plays a significant role in the etiology of both pleural and parenchymal abnormalities also at the level of the general population.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Parenchymal and pleural fibrosis in construction workers.

Exposure to mineral dust was studied among construction workers (N = 437) with the aid of a questionnaire and a chest X-ray examination of the lungs. The results of the questionnaire showed that 81% of the construction workers had been exposed to asbestos. Exposure had occurred in all of the occupational groups studied. Pleural plaques and/or lung fibrosis (ILO greater than or equal to 1/1) were found in 26% of the examined workers; the prevalence varied from 18 to 40% among the various occupational groups. Comparison with a representative sample of the Finnish male population from another investigation indicates that the frequency of lung fibrosis (ILO greater than or equal to 1/1) is at least two times higher among the examined construction workers than among the general population. It seems likely that exposure to asbestos dust can be considered an etiological factor for an appreciable number of the X-ray findings.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Screening for occupational cancer.

The main strategy for preventing occupational cancer is an environmentally based approach or primary prevention. However, it should be combined with screening, early diagnosis, and treatment. This review discusses screening for occupational cancer but not from the point of view of medical screening. Instead it focuses on asbestos exposure and asbestos-related cancer in Finland and the role screening plays in the current Finnish asbestos program. For example it is the feeling in Finland that screening is a very effective way of preventing further occupational exposure to asbestos and of organizing antismoking campaigns. An individually oriented strategy in cancer prevention should include the modification of exposures by behavioral change, the monitoring of early effects of exposures, and health examinations. The termination of exposure, antismoking campaigns, improved diagnostics, and careful attention to compensation issues combined with the study of other opportunities for prevention are seen as the key issues in screening.

Asbestos↗
PubMed1991

Occupational exposure to asbestos as evaluated from work histories and analysis of lung tissues from patients with mesothelioma.

The past occupational exposure to asbestos of 23 patients with mesothelioma (21 men and two women) has been evaluated by a personal interview of their work history and by determination of the fibre burden in their lung tissue with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and x ray microanalysis. According to the work history, nine patients (39%) had definitely been or probably been exposed to asbestos, six patients (26%) had had possible exposures, and eight patients (35%) unlikely or unknown exposure to asbestos. The two female patients were in the unknown exposure category. The fibre concentrations in the patients' lung tissue ranged from less than 0.1 million to 370 million fibres (f) per g dry tissue. Concentrations of over one million f per g dry tissue were found in 15 patients (65%). The lung fibre concentrations of all nine male office workers analysed for reference were less than one million f per g dry tissue. Seventy eight per cent of the patients with mesothelioma had at least possible exposure according to their history of work or concentrations of more than one million f per g dry tissue.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Relative risk of mesothelioma associated with different levels of exposure to asbestos.

The relative risk of mesothelioma associated with different levels of exposure to asbestos was evaluated. The exposure was assessed from work histories of 51 mesothelioma cases and 51 sarcoidosis referents. The lung fiber concentration of the mesothelioma patients was compared with that of two reference groups (13 random autopsy cases and 43 male lung cancer patients). When the categories definite and probable were used as an estimated probability of occupational exposure, an odds ratio of 17.7 [90% confidence interval (90% CI) 3.4-253] and 3.0 (90% CI 0.9-10.6), respectively, was obtained. A lung fiber concentration of greater than 1 million fibers/g of dry tissue as an indicator of accumulated exposure gave an odds ratio of 14.4 (90% CI 2.5-178) for the men in comparison with the autopsy cases and 3.1 (90% CI, 1.3-7.5) in comparison with the lung cancer patients. Elevated risk of mesothelioma was shown to be associated with a lung fiber concentration of greater than 1 million fibers/g of dry tissue.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Serum angiotensin-converting enzyme and lysosomal enzymes in tobacco workers.

The activities of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) in people with extrinsic allergic alveolitis (EAA) have been both increased and decreased. These observations suggest that pulmonary macrophages or endothelial cells participate in the disease process. Exposure to molds in the tobacco industry has recently been suspected to be associated with chronic extrinsic allergic alveolitis. In the present study, we analyzed the serum activities of ACE and two lysosomal enzymes, beta-N-acetylglycosaminidase (NAG) and beta-glucuronidase (GLU), among 57 tobacco workers. The tobacco workers not exposed had serum ACE levels similar to those of the reference population workers not occupationally exposed to dust (N = 127). The tobacco workers' serum levels of NAG (16.0 +/- 2.0 units/L and GLU (2.4 +/- 0.7 units/L) were higher than among the referents (NAG, 9.1 +/- 2.0 units/L; GLU, 1.0 +/- 0.6 units/L; p less than 0.01). Fifteen tobacco workers with respiratory symptoms compatible with pulmonary diseases caused by organic dust had a trend toward increased ACE, NAG, and GLU levels. The mean level of ACE in serum was higher among the workers with (25.8 +/- 4.5 units/L) than among those without pulmonary fibrosis (20.7 +/- 7.5 units/L; p less than 0.025). The mean ACE level was also higher among workers with the highest exposure to molds (24.6 +/- 7.1 units/L) compared to those with the mildest exposure (18.3 +/- 5.7 units/L; p less than 0.05). Tobacco workers with or without antibodies against one or more microbes had similar mean levels of ACE, NAG, and GLU. All of these findings indicate that raw tobacco dust and its contaminants may cause allergic or toxic reactions or both, reflected by the serum levels of ACE, NAG, and GLU.

Acetylglucosaminidase↗
PubMed1984

Immunological aspects of asbestosis: patients' neurological signs and asbestosis progression.

This study is a component of a long-term, follow-up study aimed at evaluation of immunological and neurological findings with regard to the early detection of malignancies among patients at high risk of developing cancer. One hundred fifteen patients with diagnosed asbestosis were examined neurologically and immunologically (rheumatoid factor, antinuclear antibodies, C3 and C4 and circulating immune complexes). Patients with nervous system involvement (63 cases; 55%) revealed no significant immunological differences when compared with the other patients except for a more common presence of antinuclear antibodies among patients without nervous system involvement (21% vs 6%, p less than .05). Significantly increased Wa-Ro titers (greater than 1/128) were found for 3-4% of the patients whose asbestosis was either progressive or not as to radiological fibrosis, whereas only 0.4% of the blood donors had a significantly increased Wa-Ro titer. The respective figures of latex agglutination (greater than 1/32) were found for 14-19% of the asbestosis patients whereas in 0.8% of the blood donors. The mean level of C3 was higher among progressive than nonprogressive asbestosis cases (1.48 vs 1.34, p less than .05). Patients with radiographic progression of asbestosis had higher IgG-antinuclear antibody titers than the patients without progression.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Tumor markers and neurological signs in asbestosis patients.

Ninety asbestosis patients were examined clinically with special emphasis on the function of the peripheral and the central nervous system. Serum specimens were analyzed for carcinoembryonic antigen(s) (CEA), ferritin, and beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2m) content. The patients were classified into four subgroups: (1) those with peripheral neuropathy, (2) those with involvement of central nervous system, (3) those with both types of neurological signs, and (4) those with normal neurological status. The levels of serum CEA, ferritin, and beta 2m were elevated in all four subgroups. No statistically significant differences were found between the groups in the prevalence of elevated values of the three tumor markers (equal or above the following limits: CEA, 5 micrograms/liter; ferritin, 400 micrograms/liter, and beta 2m, 3 mg/liter). The patients currently smoking had a higher level of serum CEA than nonsmokers or exsmokers, but the differences were not statistically significant. In the subgroup that comprised those asbestosis patients in whom the disease could be considered progressive according to the ILO 1980 classification of the chest radiographs, the mean level of CEA in serum was higher than that of the patient group without such progression of the disease (p less than 0.05, Student's t test). Although the prevalence of abnormal neurological signs was high in these asbestosis patients, no obvious correlation was found between the neurological findings and the tumor markers studied.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Extrinsic allergic alveolitis in the tobacco industry.

A total of 57 subjects who had been exposed to mould dust in the tobacco industry were studied. Their working environment showed exposure to spores of different moulds, and 29 subjects (51%) showed antibodies against one or more of the microbes. Fifteen (26%) had work related respiratory symptoms. Eight (14%) showed slight radiographic pulmonary fibrosis. Spirometry showed a tendency toward restriction and obstruction, especially in small airways. Diffusion capacity was decreased in 18% of the workers. Three clinical cases of typical allergic alveolitis were also found. All this suggests that exposure of spores of different moulds (especially Aspergillus fumigatus) in the manufacture of tobacco products may induce symptoms and signs relating to extrinsic allergic alveolitis.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Asbestosis, the nervous system and cancer.

Asbestosis patients have a high cumulative risk of cancer: four of ten asbestosis patients develop cancer. Paraneoplastic involvement of the nervous system, peripheral neuropathy in particular, is often encountered in cancer patients, even at very early stages of the disease. In order to estimate the occurrence of paraneoplastic neuropathy among asbestosis patients, we formed a small cohort (115 asbestosis patients, mean age 56 years, mean duration of exposure to asbestos 21 years) in 1979. Neurological examination revealed slight peripheral neuropathy in 44 (39%) of the patients, 24 (22%) of whom also had central nervous system signs (disturbances in gait and posture, memory and fine movements). The prevalence of peripheral neuropathy among asbestosis patients was higher than among various referent patients (fibrosing alveolitis, diagnosed solvent poisoning and gynaecological carcinoma). No significant differences were found between the patients with and without peripheral neuropathy regarding the following parameters: pulmonary function tests, tumour markers (CEA, ferritin, beta-2-microglobulin), antinuclear antibodies, C3, C4 and circulating immune complexes. Nevertheless, at group level, the asbestosis patients had increased levels of the three tumour markers. Estimates based on the data accumulated so far (10 cancer patients) show that within three years we shall probably have a sufficient number of cancer cases to draw some conclusions about the value of neuropathy in the early diagnosis of occupational cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Wollastonite exposure and lung fibrosis.

Wollastonite is a naturally occurring acicular or fibrous metasilicate used in ceramics and as a substitute for asbestos in some applications. Wollastonite fibers are rather similar in form, length, and diameter to amphibole asbestos fibers but mineralogically they are different. Dust measurements in both the Finnish limestone--wollastonite quarry and in the flotation plant yielded high concentrations of both total dust and respirable fibers in some operational stages. The clinical study comprised a total of 46 men who had been exposed to wollastonite at the quarry for at least 10 years. Three of the fifteen nonsmokers showed chronic bronchitis. Radiographs revealed slight lung fibrosis among fourteen men, and slight bilateral pleural thickening among thirteen men. Their sputum specimens were normal. Spirometry and nitrogen single breath tests indicated the possibility of small airways disease.

Adult↗