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Occupational Asbestos Exposure (occupational + asbestos_exposure)
Selected AbstractsOccupational asbestos exposure and digestive cancers , a cohort studyALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 4 2009B. CLIN Summary Background, Although the role of asbestos in the genesis of mesothelioma and primary bronchopulmonary cancers has been established, results from studies focusing on the relationship between occupational exposure to asbestos and digestive cancer remain contradictory. Aim, To determine whether occupational asbestos exposure increases the incidence of digestive cancers. Methods, Our study was a retrospective morbidity study based on 2024 subjects occupationally exposed to asbestos. The incidence of digestive cancer was calculated from 1st January 1978 to 31st December 2004 and compared with levels among the local general population using Standardized Incidence Ratios. Asbestos exposure was assessed using the company's job exposure matrix. Results, Eighty-five cases of digestive cancer were observed within our cohort, for an expected number of 66.90 (SIR = 1.27 [1.01; 1.57]). A significantly elevated incidence, particularly notable among women, was observed for peritoneal mesothelioma, independently of exposure levels. A significantly elevated incidence was also noted among men for cancer of small intestine and oesophagus, for cumulative exposure indexes for asbestos above 80 fibres/mL × years. A significantly elevated incidence of cancer of the small intestine was also observed among men having been exposed to asbestos for periods in excess of 25 years and for mean exposure levels in excess of 4 fibres/mL. Conclusions, This study suggests the existence of a relationship between exposure to asbestos and cancer of the small intestine and of the oesophagus in men. [source] Pleural plaques in dentists from occupational asbestos exposure: A report of three casesAMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 12 2009FCCP, L. Sichletidis MD Abstract Background White asbestos (chrysotile) has been used in dentistry since 1930 when it was introduced as a lining material for casting rings. Methods All three patients presented with pleural plaques on chest X-rays as well as on CT-scans. They were working as dentists for 35,45 years. Under the instructions of the first dentist we represented precisely the whole process of manipulating a kind of paper that contained asbestos. In order to measure asbestos fibers concentration we used the membrane filter method and phase contrast optical microscopy. Dry asbestos sheets were scanned with x-ray diffraction and electron microscope. Results Analysis of the filter demonstrated 0.008 fibers/cm3 during the sampling period. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the material consisted of chrysotile exclusively. Electron microscope pictures confirmed the presence of chrysotile. Conclusion Everyday occupational exposure for many years even to low asbestos levels, under poor ventilation conditions in a closed space, could cause pleural lesions. Am. J. Ind. Med. 52:926,930, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Under-reporting of compensable mesothelioma in AlbertaAMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 7 2009Marilyn W. Cree PhD Abstract Background When combined with a history of occupational asbestos exposure, mesothelioma is often presumed work-related. In Canada, workers diagnosed with mesothelioma caused by occupational asbestos exposure are often eligible for compensation under provincial workers' compensation boards. Although occupational asbestos exposure causes the majority of mesothelioma, Canadian research suggests less than half of workers actually apply for compensation. Alberta's mandatory reporting requirements may produce higher filing rates but this is currently unknown. This study evaluates Alberta's mesothelioma filing and compensation rates. Methods Demographic information on all mesothelioma patients diagnosed between 1980 and 2004 were extracted from the Alberta Cancer Board's Cancer Registry and linked to Workers' Compensation Board of Alberta claims data. Results Alberta recorded a total of 568 histologically confirmed mesothelioma cases between 1980 and 2004. Forty-two percent of cases filed a claim; 83% of filed claims were accepted for compensation. Conclusions Patient under-reporting of compensable mesothelioma is a problem and raises larger questions regarding under-reporting of other asbestos-related cancers in Alberta. Strategies should focus on increasing filing rates where appropriate. Am. J. Ind. Med. 52:526,533, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Respiratory health in Turkish asbestos cement workers: The role of environmental exposureAMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 8 2006brahim Akkurt MD Abstract Aim Benign and malignant pleural and lung diseases due to environmental asbestos exposure constitute an important health problem in Turkey. The country has widespread natural deposits of asbestos in rural parts of central and eastern regions. Few data exists about the respiratory health effects of occupational asbestos exposure in Turkey. A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate respiratory health effects of occupational asbestos exposure and the contribution of environmental asbestos exposure. Methods Investigations included asbestos dust measurements in the workplace and application of an interviewer-administered questionnaire, a standard posteroanterior chest X-ray and spirometry. Information on birthplace of the workers was obtained in 406 workers and used to identify environmental exposure to asbestos, through a map of geographic locations with known asbestos exposure. Results Asbestos dust concentration in the ambient air of the work sites (fiber/ml) ranged between 0.2 and 0.76 (mean: 0.25, median: 0.22). Environmental exposure to asbestos was determined in 24.4% of the workers. After the adjustment for age, smoking, occupational asbestos exposure, and potential risk factors environmental asbestos exposure was associated with small irregular opacities grade ,1/0 (44.2% vs. 26.6%, P,<,0.01), FVC% (97.8 vs. 104.5, P,<,0.0001), and FEV1% (92.4 vs. 99.9, P,<,.0001). Occupational exposure to asbestos was associated with small irregular opacities grade ,1/0 (OR: 2.0, 95% CI: 1.3,3.1, per 1 unit increase in the natural logarithm of fiber/ml) and FEV1/FVC% (beta: 1.1, SEM: 0.54; P,<,0.05, per 1 unit increase in the natural logarithm of fiber/ml). Conclusions Environmental exposure to asbestos could increase the risk of asbestosis and lung function impairment in workers occupationally exposed to asbestos, independent from occupational exposure and smoking. Am. J. Ind. Med. 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] The exposure-time-response relationship between occupational asbestos exposure and lung cancer in two German case-control studies,AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 2 2002Michael Hauptmann PhD Abstract Background Numerous studies have been carried out to evaluate the association between lung cancer and occupational asbestos exposure. However, the effects of timing of exposure have not been analyzed thoroughly. Methods Two German case-control studies with data on occupational asbestos exposure histories have been pooled. Duration of work in potentially asbestos exposed jobs and two derived weighted exposure measures are analyzed together with time since last exposure. A spline function is used to model the effect of time since exposure. Results The odds ratios (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals were 1.8 (1.2, 2.7) and 2.4 (1.7, 3.4) for subjects having worked for 3 to 7 years and 8 or more years, respectively, in a job with potential asbestos exposure compared to never-exposed. Based on an evaluation of time since last exposure, the OR decreased significantly to about one-half after more than 20 years since exposure ceased. Using a spline function, applied to workers' complete exposure histories, the effect of an increment of exposure is greatest 10,15 years after that exposure was received. Conclusions In contrast to previous indications, the risk of lung cancer increases soon after asbestos exposure, with its maximum effect from 10 to 15 years after the exposure was received. Am. J. Ind. Med. 41:89,97, 2002. Published 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] | ||||||||||