Abstract
Objectives: The association between asbestos exposure, measured by mean of Asbestos Cumulative Exposure Index (ACEI) and the latency period of non-malignant asbestos-related diseases (ARD) diagnosed according to the American Thoracic Society (ATS) criteria was studied. Methods: 306 exposed asbestos workers in Bari, Italy, were included in a health surveillance program. By means of a standardized questionnaire we assessed asbestos exposure through ACEI. Latency period of Asbestos Related Diseases (ARD) was also assessed. Results: We found a significant inverse correlation between latency and ACEI increasing with ARD severity. ACEI and 30-35 years of age at time of first exposure were inversely associated with the latency period. The risk of ARD increased from baseline to the 2nd follow-up and among subjects exposed for the first time before 1960. Conclusions: The most important factors that caused a reduction in the latency period were the year of first exposure and the ACEI score while smoking habits did not show to play a significant role.
Highlights
Asbestos is a set of silicate minerals with microcrystalline structure and fibrous morphology, which gives it interesting physical properties, especially thermal resistance and sound absorption [1]
The most important factors that caused a reduction in the latency period were the year of first exposure and the Asbestos Cumulative Exposure Index (ACEI) score while smoking habits did not show to play a significant role
In this study Asbestos Related Diseases (ARD) were defined as non-malignant asbestos related diseases and ACR were defined as asbestos related cancers
Summary
Asbestos is a set of silicate minerals with microcrystalline structure and fibrous morphology, which gives it interesting physical properties, especially thermal resistance and sound absorption [1]. It was plenty used in the industries of shipbuilding, building, railways and in asbestos-cement production [1]. There was massive growth in asbestos use from 1877 to 1967 when its public health consequences were discovered, because of a spatial distribution of deaths due to unexpected sources of asbestos exposure [3]. In the early 1990s, many countries banned various industrial uses of asbestos or imposed restrictions because of its cancerous effects [4,5]. Asbestos related diseases (ARD) include pleural diseases (i.e., pleural plaques that involve parietal pleura and diffuse pleural thickening that involves mainly visceral pleura), asbestosis and asbestos related cancers ARC) [8]
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