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PubMed2006

Mesothelioma mortality in Europe: impact of asbestos consumption and simian virus 40.

BACKGROUND: It is well established that asbestos is the most important cause of mesothelioma. The role of simian virus 40 (SV40) in mesothelioma development, on the other hand, remains controversial. This potential human oncogene has been introduced into various populations through contaminated polio vaccines. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the possible presence of SV40 in various European countries, as indicated either by molecular genetic evidence or previous exposure to SV40-contaminated vaccines, had any effect on pleural cancer rates in the respective countries. METHODS: We conducted a Medline search that covered the period from January 1969 to August 2005 for reports on the detection of SV40 DNA in human tissue samples. In addition, we collected all available information about the types of polio vaccines that had been used in these European countries and their SV40 contamination status. RESULTS: Our ecological analysis confirms that pleural cancer mortality in males, but not in females, correlates with the extent of asbestos exposure 25 - 30 years earlier. In contrast, neither the presence of SV40 DNA in tumor samples nor a previous vaccination exposure had any detectable influence on the cancer mortality rate in neither in males (asbestos-corrected rates) nor in females. CONCLUSION: Using the currently existing data on SV40 prevalence, no association between SV40 prevalence and asbestos-corrected male pleural cancer can be demonstrated.

Asbestosis↗

PubMed1990

[Twenty years' follow-up study of asbestos workers].

This report describes a cohort study conducted on workers who were employed in a factory mainly manufacturing asbestos yarn and cloth and were followed from 1964 to 1981. A total of 208 workers (73 males and 135 females) could be traced and 15 deaths were observed by the end of 1983. Among them, three had lung cancer and its relative risk was 6.8 (p less than 0.05) computed based on the age, sex and year specific death rates of Osaka Prefecture. One case of peritoneal mesothelioma was also found. The period from first asbestos exposure to death of these four cases of asbestos-related malignancies was more than 25 yr. In the analysis of the employees who had more than 1 yr of exposure to asbestos and those who had already been engaged in this factory at the beginning of the observation, the relative risk of lung cancer was 8.1 and 13.6, respectively.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Health surveillance of workers exposed to asbestos: an example of cooperation between the occupational prevention system and the national health system].

The Ministry of Health and Consumer Affairs and the Autonomous Governments of Spain have designed and agreed by consensus with the sanitary professionals and major employer's organizations and Unions a Integral Health Surveillance Programme of asbestos-exposed workers, in order to assure appropriate, uniform and harmonized action throughout the national territory with relation to these workers. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: This initiative started from the Occupational Health Working group of the Interterritorial Council, with inputs from the Asbestos Working Group of the National Occupational Safety and Health Commission. It was agreed with occupational medicine and infirmary professionals and was approved by the Health and Labour authorities. The program is organised in seven main activities. CURRENT PROGRAM STATUS: two years after the Programme approval a total of 5778 workers are included in the Registry of asbestos-exposed workers. 208 workers have COPD, 198 benign pleural disease, 8 lung cancer, 10 mesothelioma and 7 workers have other cancers possibly related to asbestos (gastric, larynx and colon cancer). REMARKS: the agreement and participation reached in this Programme allow achieving much higher coverage of occupational prevention policies than those obtained with a mere law approval, as we could see during the second year of implementation of the Programme in which the number of attended workers has doubled.

Asbestosis↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Cohort of asbestos exposed workers. Navarre (Spain) 1999-2004].

BACKGROUND: The identification of a population cohort of workers exposed to asbestos is important because it facilitates health surveillance, allowing us to fulfil the ethical obligation of recognizing the occupational origin of the illness and contributing to the development of scientific research. The goal of this study is to identify the asbestos exposed workers in Navarre and the success of the health surveillance offer. METHODS: The register of asbestos exposed workers was created in 1999. It includes companies and workers from the national register, the records of the regional institution of occupational health and the data of the occupational health services and the inspectorate of sick leave. The health programme deals with occupational and post-occupational workers. RESULTS: The cohort consists of 2,294 workers, from 33 companies, 40% of whom are active, half work manufacturing motor vehicles, 91% are exposed to chrysotile, 25% exposed to high concentrations (0.20 fibers /cm3 or more for chrysotile or 0.10 fibers /cm3 for others). The 1970s and 1990s were when most workers began to be exposed. Workers who began in the 1940s and 1950s have longer exposure times. Medical surveillance is accepted by 72%, with higher acceptance among those who are active. CONCLUSIONS: The follow-up has allowed us to recognize three times as many cases of pathology for asbestos, in comparison with those declared spontaneously in the eleven years prior to the program, which reflects its importance. The level of acceptance of the surveillance is adapted, given the methodology of the programme.

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↗

PubMed2005

Trends in pleural radiographic findings in the Navy Asbestos Medical Surveillance Program (1990-1999).

The U.S. Navy Asbestos Medical Surveillance Program is a comprehensive effort to decrease exposure to asbestos, a known health hazard. This study was part of a programmatic review of the Asbestos Medical Surveillance Program database, which included 233,353 radiographic examinations from 1990 to 1999. The initial review focused on incidental findings recorded by B-readers for 23,460 radiographs. Abnormalities reported included bullae (0.68%), cancer (0.56%), cardiac size/ shape abnormalities (1.36%), emphysema (0.74%), subpleural fat (2.62%), fractured ribs (1.24%), hilar adenopathy (0.13%), ill-defined diaphragm (0.46%), ill-defined heart border (0.29%), Kerley lines (0.06%), pleural thickening (2.35%), and tuberculosis (0.27%). The rates by age cohort for pleural abnormalities decreased significantly (30-39 years, chi2 for trend = 23.49, df = 1; 40-49 years, chi2 for trend = 176.21; 50-59 years, chi2 for trend = 401.87), but findings were not significantly different for those > or =60 years of age. This suggests that sequential age cohorts in the program are developing fewer pleural abnormalities; pleural abnormalities have historically been associated with asbestos exposure.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Asbestos exposure, lung cancer and asbestosis.

The relationship between asbestos exposure, lung cancer and asbestosis is reviewed. Studies have demonstrated the risk of lung cancer to be raised in asbestos-exposed workers whether asbestosis is present or not. Although increasing exposure increases the risk of disease, variability in estimation of fibre levels and in subject susceptibility should be borne in mind. Consensus opinion recommends that attribution of lung cancer to asbestos exposure should be based on clinical and occupational histories. The risk of lung cancer in those who both smoke and are exposed to asbestos is increased in a multiplicative way, putting subjects at very great risk.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

[Several immunological characteristics of occupational exposure to asbestos and other mineral fibers].

The authors evaluated some immunologic factors in workers exposed to asbestos, basalt and glass fibres and compared the results with a control reference group. The findings indicate that there is a considerable difference between the immunologic reaction of the organism, mainly when the humoral component of the answer is taken into account, in the exposed and in the control group. The same observation was valid, when the asbestos exposed group was compared with the groups exposed to asbestos substitutes (basalt and glass fibres). The immunoglobulins of the classes A, G, M, complement components C3 and C4 were significantly increased, alpha-1-antitrypsin and phagocytic activity of leukocytes in peripheral blood was decreased. Most of the examined indicators in the basalt- and glass fibres exposed groups differed insignificantly from the control group. Transferrin level was not significantly different in any of the examined groups. The results indicate that there is higher tolerability of basalt and glass fibres in the organism compared with asbestos fibres.

Asbestosis↗

PubMed1992

High frequency of IgM antibodies to coxsackie B virus in sarcoidosis patients and patients with asbestos-related lesions.

By using radioimmunoassay (RIA) for detection of IgM antibodies to Coxsackie B viruses (CBV), the occurrence of these antibodies was investigated in patients with sarcoidosis and asbestos-related lesions. Sixty-one per cent of the patients with sarcoidosis, all patients with benign asbestos pleural effusion, and 67% of those with diffuse asbestos-related pleural thickening showed CBV-IgM. Patients with healed sarcoidosis or pleural plaques were all negative, and among the "healthy" controls seven per cent had CBV-IgM. Thus, there was a high frequency of CBV-IgM in patients with sarcoidosis and in those with asbestos-related diseases. Since the titres could be the effect of an unspecific polyclonal stimulation of the B cells, sera were tested for antibodies to rubella and cytomegalovirus, but without any remarkable results.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Mortality, morbidity, and asbestosis in New Zealand: the hidden legacy of asbestos exposure.

AIMS: To examine the morbidity and mortality patterns of patients with asbestosis in New Zealand to determine (more fully) the overall health impact of past exposure to asbestos. METHODS: Individual mortality, cancer and hospital records for all New Zealand men diagnosed with asbestosis between 1974-2001 were examined. Mortality data were analysed for time trends, cause of death, and occupation. Trends for patients diagnosed with asbestosis were compared with those diagnosed with lung cancer. Hospital discharge data for men with asbestosis were examined to determine reasons for hospitalisation, resource utility, and recent hospitalisation trends. RESULTS: Death rates for New Zealand males dying with asbestosis increased between 1974-1999. Only 17% of deaths of males dying with asbestosis were directly attributed to this cause; the remainder were attributed to other non-malignant and malignant respiratory disease. Deaths from asbestos-related lung disease were grossly underestimated. Death certificates of men dying with asbestosis were found in all major occupational groups. Trends in hospital discharges may provide additional information for the overall modelling of the current epidemic of asbestos related disease. CONCLUSION: The number of men dying with asbestosis in NZ has increased in line with mesothelioma. There is some indication that asbestosis prevalence may have peaked for the most serious cases of asbestosis. Some level of asbestos exposure, as indicated by asbestosis, may be present in all major occupational groups.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Additional features of the worldwide double standards in the prevention of asbestos-related diseases.

A search has been made through Pubmed-Medline in order to quantify the production of epidemiological studies on the consequences of asbestos in different countries. Worldwide, very little epidemiological knowledge on the consequences of occupational and environmental exposure to asbestos has been gathered in countries known to be the major producers and/or consumers of asbestos. The only exception is Canada, which ranks third among asbestos producers and exports most of its production. A handful of papers carried out in Brazil are briefly commented in order to highlight the difficulties that epidemiological investigations face in developing countries.

Asbestosis↗

PubMed1976

[Effects of asbestos on respiratory pathology. 27 cases observed in 6 years in a pneumo-phthisiology department in Nantes].

A search for respiratory disease due to asbestos permitted the authors, during a review of 6 years' activity on a Chest Unit in Nantes, to collect 27 cases which represents 2.4% of all cases examined. They were male subjects usually aged about 60 years exposed to dust mildly but continuously during a long career as metal workers, mainly in the shipyards. Pleural involvement was constant, usually limited to characteristic pleural calcifications which were well tolerated. Two cases of asbestos pleurisy were diagnosed, but above all we noted 7 cases of mesothelioma with a very poor prognosis. It is difficult to say whether asbestos is responsible for bronchial carcinoma but we noted two cases in patients with calcifications. The authors emphasise the necessity for revision of the table of occupational diseases which does not yet include pleural disease due to asbestos.

Asbestosis↗

PubMed1989

Asbestos-associated disease: a review.

Asbestos and its potential for adversely affecting health remain a source of concern to several sectors of society. Since it rarely occurs in the absence of occupational exposure to asbestos, and because it is potentially preventable, asbestosis was recently defined as a reportable occupational disease in Texas. An overview of the cardinal characteristics of the asbestos minerals and their associated health effects is presented. The role of the primary physician in diagnosis and counseling of individuals with asbestos-associated diseases is addressed.

Asbestosis↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Functional and radiologic changes in workers in the asbestos-cement industry].

The influence of asbestos fibers on the radiologic and functional parameters in workers from the asbestos-cement factory was analyzed. 202 workers were examined each year for the last three years, while some of the workers were followed up to the last 10 years. It was found that the lung damage due to asbestos exposure is expressed highly individually. Some examinees had abnormal chest x-ray and normal lung function, some had abnormal function and normal x-ray, while only in advanced cases we found both radiologic and functional abnormalities. In addition to previously described lung function abnormalities, the authors found that some examinees had an increase in diffusing capacity in the early phase of asbestosis. The importance of dynamic lung functional measurements in workers exposed to asbestos is discussed.

Adult↗

PubMed1988

[Benign pleural pathology of asbestos].

The most frequent benign lesions of the pleura created by asbestos are fibro-hyaline plaques, i.e. thick areas of collagen located on the parietal pleura and gradually becoming calcified. Less common is benign pleural effusion the cause of which is not always easy to determine. To these must be added an extensive pleural fibrosis with functional repercussions that are not negligible, and round pseudotumoral atelectasias. These pleural asbestos-induced lesions are often observed after a low intensity exposure, but they appear as a rule after more than 20 years of latency. While they betray a previous exposure to asbestos, they also raise the problem of possible asbestos-induced lung cancer and mesothelioma.

Asbestosis↗

PubMed1988

Use of oblique chest roentgenograms in detecting pleural disease in asbestos-exposed workers.

Oblique chest roentgenograms have been recommended by some for use in screening programs of asbestos-exposed workers to increase detection of pleural fibrosis not evident on posteroanterior (PA) films. As a screening test, identification of pleural abnormalities with oblique films is especially important in subjects without evidence of other asbestos-induced abnormalities on PA films, namely, parenchymal fibrosis. To evaluate the incremental value of oblique films in the identification of pleural fibrosis, a comparison was made between PA films read alone and PA films read with both oblique views in a systematic evaluation of 489 male pipefitters examined in a screening program. Analysis of the subsets of pipefitters with and without parenchymal fibrosis showed that 2.5% of workers with normal PA films (n = 326) and 13.0% of subjects with isolated parenchymal fibrosis on PA films (n = 46) had pleural fibrosis detectable only on oblique films. In only eight (1.6%) did the oblique view represent the sole evidence of an asbestos-related roentgenographic abnormality. We conclude that oblique films should not be routinely used in screening workers for evidence of asbestos-induced disease.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The pleural manifestations of asbestos exposure.

Pleural abnormalities are the most common disease manifestations of asbestos exposure and have both clinical and epidemiologic implications. Benign pleural processes include pleural thickening, which can be discrete (plaques) or diffuse, rounded atelectasis (pseudotumor), and benign exudative asbestos effusions. Asbestos is the most significant cause of diffuse malignant mesothelioma. Most patients with discrete pleural thickening have normal pulmonary function. Patients with extensive pleural involvement, however, can have significant restrictive impairment with no or only minimal interstitial disease. For any given radiological grade of parenchymal disease, pulmonary function is more impaired when pleural thickening is present. The presence of typical pleural changes can serve as a reliable marker for asbestos exposure in epidemiologic studies. Individuals with pleural plaques are more likely to develop parenchymal involvement than similarly exposed workers without pleural disease. Once present, pleural changes are likely to progress even in the absence of further exposure.

Asbestosis↗

PubMed1988

Spirometric abnormalities among asbestos insulation workers.

We studied the prevalence of spirometric changes among asbestos insulation workers to investigate when functional abnormalities appear during the course of asbestos employment and the influence of cigarette smoking. Of 1,249 eligible asbestos insulation workers in the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area, 1,117 (89.4%) were examined in the year 1963 to provide baseline pulmonary function status for long-term prospective observation. Forced vital capacity (FVC) was measured in all 1,117 workers and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) in 613 workers (55%). Of 353 workers examined in the first 10 years after onset of exposure, 26 (7.4%) had FVC below 70% of predicted, a prevalence similar to that reported in nonexposed general populations. Prevalence increased with time from onset of exposure. Of the 117 workers examined 40 or more years after onset of exposure, 76 (55%) had FVC below 70% of predicted. A similar trend with time was shown for FEV1 and FEV1/FVC. Cigarette smoking had little influence on the prevalence of pure restrictive impairment. Cigarette smokers and non-cigarette smokers had much the same prevalence (28%) of moderate to severe reduction of FVC while the FEV1/FVC was normal. None of the non-cigarette smokers and five of the cigarette smokers had a predominantly obstructive pattern. One non-cigarette smoker and eight cigarette smokers showed reduction of both FVC and FEV1/FVC, consistent with a mixed ventilatory abnormality. The data demonstrate that asbestos alone without the additional effect of cigarette smoking has no measureable effect on the function of the large airways.

Adult↗