Abstract
BackgroundBiological monitoring of healthy workers exposed to hazardous dusts lack validated screening tools. Induced sputum (IS) cellular profile was compared with bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) profile in asbestos exposed workers in order to assess its usefulness in monitoring workers exposed to asbestos for a long period of time.MethodsIS and BALF analysis was performed in 39 workers of a car brakes and clutches factory that uses chrysotile asbestos. Selection criteria were an employment history of > 15 years and the absence of a diagnosis of pneumonoconiosis. The type of cells, the existence of dust cells, of iron laden macrophages and of asbestos bodies were assessed and compared between IS and BALF samples.Results35 IS samples (90%) had dust cells, 34 (87%) iron laden macrophages and in 8 samples (21%) asbestos bodies were found. In most samples neutrophils were dominated. Samples with asbestos bodies (ABs) had significantly higher lymphocytes and lower neutrophils count compared with the samples without ABs. Macrophages and neutrophils in IS and BALF exhibited significant inter-relations (Spearman's rho: 0.26-0.29, p < 0.05) while IS lymphocytes count showed an inverse relation with BALF neutrophils (Spearman's rho: -0.36). Neutrophils and dust cells were highly correlated between the samples (Spearman's rho: 0.35, p < 0.05) while IS dust cells and lymphocytes were inversely related (Spearman's rho: -0.36, p < 0.05). More years of employment in the company was related with more neutrophils (Spearman's rho: 0.26) and less lymphocytes (Spearman's rho: -0.33) count. In multivariate analysis the presence of AB in IS samples was strongly related to the presence of asbestos bodies and lymphocytes count in BALF samples.ConclusionsIS and BALF analysis showed a similar cellular profile indicating that IS sampling in exposed workers to asbestos as a less invasive and expensive method may be useful in providing an insight both for inhalation of dusts and inflammatory processes in the lung.
Highlights
Biological monitoring of healthy workers exposed to hazardous dusts lack validated screening tools
In the present study, induced sputum (IS) cellular profile was compared with bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) profile in workers exposed to asbestos for a long period of time in order to assess in what extent the induced sputum sample analysis provide an insight as far as it concerns the inhalation of dusts and inflammatory processes in the lung
In multivariate analysis (Table 5) we found that the presence of ABs in Induced sputum (IS) samples was very strongly related to the presence of asbestos bodies in BALF and with more lymphocytes both in BALF and IS while were negatively related with neutrophils in IS
Summary
Biological monitoring of healthy workers exposed to hazardous dusts lack validated screening tools. Induced sputum (IS) cellular profile was compared with bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) profile in asbestos exposed workers in order to assess its usefulness in monitoring workers exposed to asbestos for a long period of time. The occurrence of disease due to occupational exposure to asbestos is well-recognized but surveillance and biological monitoring of exposed workers lack implemented tools and techniques. In the present study, induced sputum (IS) cellular profile was compared with bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) profile in workers exposed to asbestos for a long period of time in order to assess in what extent the induced sputum sample analysis provide an insight as far as it concerns the inhalation of dusts and inflammatory processes in the lung
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