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Med. Pr. 2007;58(4):279-286

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT OF ASBESTOS-RELATED BENIGN PLEURAL AND PARENCHYMAL CHANGES IN WORKERS AFTER PAST EXPOSURE TO CHRYSOTILE ASBESTOS

EPIDEMIOLOGICZNA OCENA RYZYKA ZMIAN AZBEZSTOZALEŻNYCHW PŁUCACH I OPŁUCNEJ WŚRÓD PRACOWNIKÓWEKSPONOWANYCH W PRZESZŁOśCI NA AZBE

Maria D. Staniszewska, Wojciech Sobala, Neonila Szeszenia-Dąbrowska

Abstract

Background: Health effects related with asbestos dust exposure are observed many years after its onset. The objective of the study was to evaluate the risk of pleural and parenchymal changes depending on the duration of exposure, lapse of time since first contact with asbestos dust, and cumulative dust exposure. Materials and Methods: The study population comprised 222 former workers of asbestos processing plants. Risk assessment was based on the results of chest radiograms and retrospective exposure measurements. The adjusted odds ratios (OR) were used as a relative risk measure and logistic regression models were employed in statistical analyses. Results: The risk of diffuse pleural thickening in the group of workers exposed to asbestos dust for more than 10 years (years × mg/m3) as well as the risk of parenchyma changes, density >= 1/1, and diffuse pleural thickening in the group of workers employed under cumulative exposure to asbestos dust for similar period of time were significantly higher than in the reference group. No effect of the lapse of time since first contact with asbestos dust on the risk of analyzed radiological changes was observed in the study group. Conclusions: The level of cumulative exposure to asbestos should be taken into account in the recommended frequency of preventive medical examinations of workers. Med Pr 2007;58(4):279-286

Key words

parenchymal changes, pleural plaques, diffuse pleural thickening, epidemiological risk assessment, cumulative exposure