• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.651-657
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• 1994

Asbestos is widely used in the textile, asbestos cement, construction products, friction material, paper products, insulation products, chemical and plastic products because of its heat resistance, flexibility, tensile strength, and texturability. It is now generally recognized that longterm and excessive inhalation of asbestos dust causes asbestosis, lung cancer, malignant mesothelioma and malignancies in other organs such as cancer of gastrointestinal tract, leukemia, lymphoma. Although eighty thousand tons of asbestos has been annually consumed since 1979 in korea, it has not been reported asbestos and lung cancer by asbestos dust so far, while a case of mesothelioma was officially diagnosis as a occupational disease at 1993. We experienced firstly a case of asbestosis and lung cancer caused simultanously by occupational asbestos exposure 11 years, which was confirmed by chest x-ray, pulmonary function test, chest CT and HRCT, bronchoalveolar lavage, and gallium scan. And so We present a case of asbestosis, pleural effusion and lung cancer with a review literature.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.302-307
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• 2022

Background: In Brazil, asbestos was intensively used from the 1960s until its ban in 2017. Mesothelioma, asbestosis, and pleural plaques are typical asbestos-related diseases (ARD-T). To create an ARD-T national database, death records from 1996-2017 were retrieved from several health information systems (HIS). Methods: All national HIS containing coded diagnoses (ICD-10) and death information were obtained. Linkage was performed to create a single database of ARD-T death records, either as underlying or contributory causes, in adults aged 30 years and older. Results: A total of 3,057 ARD-T death records were found, 2,405 (76.4%) of which being malignant mesotheliomas (MM). Pleural MM (n = 1,006; 41.8%) and unspecified MM (n = 792; 32.9%) prevailed. Male to female MM ratio (M:F) was 1.4:1, and higher ratios were found for non-malignant ARD-T: 3.5:1 for asbestosis and 2.4:1 for pleural plaques. Male crude annual mesothelioma mortality (CM_mm ×1,000,000) was 0.98 in 1996 and 2.26 in 2017, a 131.1% increment, while for females it was 1.04 and 1.25, a 20.2% increase, correspondingly. The small number of deaths with asbestosis and pleural plaques records precluded conclusive interpretations. Conclusions: Even with the linkage of several HIS, ARD-T in death records remained in low numbers. MM mortality in men was higher and showed a rapid increase and, along with non-malignant ARD-T, higher M:F ratios suggested a predominant pattern of work-related exposure. The monitoring of workplace and environmental asbestos exposure needs to be improved, as well as the workers surveillance, following the recent Brazilian ban.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.163-165
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• 2001

A patient,58 years of age, with suspected 0/l pneumoconiosis since 1993, complained of a dry cough and exertioning dyspnea for 6 months. He had worked in an asbestos company for more than 20 years from 1974. He was subsequently diagnosed with an interstitial lung disease during an annual special health check-up for asbestos workers. h chest X-ray showed an interstitial lung disease and high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) showed a round opaque asbestosis with chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis. A pulmonary function test indicated that the patient had a mild restrictive lung disease with FEV1 1.67 litters and 82% FEVl/FVC. The bronchoalveloar larvage fluid included many asbestos bodies, indicating previous exposure to asbestos. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) using an energy dispersive X-ray analyzer (EDX) revealed many asbestos bodies consisting of mainly crocidolite fibers (6,071$\times$$10^6$fibers/g of dry lung). The patient had an unusually high asbestos content of 6,112$\times$$10^6$ asbestos fibers/9 of dry lung.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.234-237
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• 2014

Background: Inhalation of asbestos fibers can lead to adverse health effects on the lungs. This study describes lung function profiles among individuals with nonmalignant asbestos-related disorders (ARDs). Methods: The study population was from the Workers' Compensation (Dust Diseases) Board of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. Lung function measurements were conducted in males with asbestosis (n = 26), diffuse pleural thickening (DPT; n = 129), asbestosis and DPT (n = 14), pleural plaques only (n = 160) and also apparently healthy individuals with a history of asbestos exposure (n = 248). Standardized spirometric and single-breath diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide ($DL_{CO}$) measurements were used. Results: Mean age [standard deviation (SD)] was 66.7 (10.3) years for all participants. Current and ex-smokers among all participants comprised about 9.0% and 54.8%, respectively. Median pack-years (SD) of smoking for ex- and current-smokers were 22.7 (19.9). Overall 222 participants (38.6%) and 139 participants (24.2%) had forced expiratory volume in 1 second ($FEV_1$) and forced vital capacity (FVC) measurements < 80% predicted, and 217 participants (37.7%) had $FEV_1/FVC$ results < 70%. A total of 249 individuals (43.8%) had DLCO values < 80% predicted and only 75 (13.2%) had DLCO/VA results < 80% predicted. A total of 147 participants (25.6%) had peak expiratory flow (PEF) measurements < 80% predicted. The presence of ARDs lowered the lung function measurements compared to those of healthy individuals exposed to asbestos. Conclusion: Lung function measurement differs in individuals with different ARDs. Monitoring of lung function among asbestos-exposed populations is a simple means of facilitating earlier interventions.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.369-379
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• 2015

Objectives: The lack of reliable information on environmental pollution and health impacts related to asbestos contamination from abandoned mines has drawn attention to the need for a community health study. This study was performed to evaluate asbestos-related health symptoms among residents near abandoned asbestos mines located in the Chungcheong Provinces. In addition, exposure assessment for asbestos is needed although the exposure to asbestos was in the past. Methods: Past exposure to asbestos among inhabitants near abandoned asbestos mines was estimated by using surface sampling of deposited dust in indoor and outdoor residences. A total of 54 participants were divided into two groups with (34 cases) and without (20 controls) diseases related to asbestos. Surface sampling of deposited dust was carried out in indoor and outdoor residences by collecting 105 samples. Deposited dust for sampling was analyzed by polarization microscope (PLM) and scanning electron microscope?energy dispersive x-ray spectrometer (SEM-EDX) to detect asbestos. Subsequently, the elements of the deposited dust with asbestos were analyzed by SEM-EDX to assess the contribution of sources such as abandoned mines, slate and soil. Results: Among the 105 samples, asbestos was detected by PLM in 29 (27.6%) sampling points, and detected by SEM in 56 (48.6%) sampling points. Asbestos in indoor residences was detected by PLM in four sampling points, and by SEM in 12 sampling points. Asbestos detection in indoor residences may be due to ventilation between indoors and outdoors, and indicates long-term exposure. The asbestos detection rate for outdoor residences in the case group was higher than that in the control group. This can be explained as the case group having had higher exposure to asbestos, and there has been continuous exposure to asbestos in the control group as well as the case group. Conclusion: Past residential asbestos exposure may be associated with asbestosis among local residents near abandoned asbestos mines. Odds ratios were calculated for asbestos detection in outdoor residence by logistic regression analysis. Odds ratio between asbestos detection and asbestosis pulmonum was 3.36 (95% CI 0.90-12.53) (p=0.072), adjusting for age, sex, smoking status and work history with multi-variable logistic regression by PLM analysis method.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.169-174
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• 2017

Background: We assessed the cancer risks of four different Finnish asbestos-exposed cohorts. We also explored if the cohorts with varying profiles of asbestos exposure exhibited varying relative risks of cancer. Methods: The incident cancer cases for the asbestos-exposed worker cohorts were updated to the end of 2012 using the files of the Finnish Cancer Registry. The previously formed cohorts consisted of asbestos mine workers, asbestosis patients, asbestos sprayers, and workers who had taken part in a screening study based on asbestos exposure at work. Results: The standardized incidence ratio (SIR) for mesothelioma varied from about threefold to > 100-fold in the different cohorts. In the screening cohort the SIR for mesothelioma was highest in 2003-2007, In other cohorts it was more constant in 5-year period inspection. The SIR for lung cancer was about twofold to tenfold in all except the screening cohort. Asbestos sprayers were at the highest risk of mesothelioma and lung cancer. Conclusion: The SIR for mesothelioma is high in all of the cohorts that represent different kinds of asbestos exposure. The smaller SIR for mesothelioma in the screening cohort with lowest level of asbestos exposure might suggest dose-responsiveness between asbestos exposure and mesothelioma. It does seem that the highest risk of lung cancer in these cohorts except in the youngest of the cohorts, the screening cohort, is over. The highest SIR for lung cancer of the asbestosis patient and sprayers cohort is explained by their heavy asbestos exposure.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.425-430
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• 2020

Background: Asbestos exposure is associated with the development of the cancer malignant mesothelioma (MM). Measurement of soluble mesothelin-related protein (SMRP) has been suggested as a method for detection of MM in its early stages. We prospectively examined SMRP levels in participants with asbestos exposure who are a group at a high risk of development of MM. Methods: This study was a follow-up of our cohort of 322 asbestos-exposed participants. No further participants developed MM or malignancy over the study period. Mean follow-up time was 22.9 months. Results: Mean (standard deviation) SMRP levels at baseline and follow-up were 0.94 (0.79) and 0.91 (0.86) nmol/L (p = 0.1033), respectively. Mean SMRP levels of the healthy individuals exposed to asbestos at baseline was significantly lower than those of participants with asbestosis and pleural plaques alone; similar patterns were found on follow-up measurements. There was a statistically significant effect of age on serial SMRP measurements. Our study confirms higher levels in participants with nonmalignant asbestos-related disorders. Levels decreased in asbestos-related disorders other than asbestosis, where a small increase was observed. We did not detect any further cases of malignancy. Conclusion: Monitoring programs for early detection of MM need to take into account increased SMRP levels found in benign asbestos-related diseases.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.426-432
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• 2009

Asbestos is a commercial term of natural occurring silicated minerals and forms long, thin fibers. Chrysotile, the serpentine asbestos, accounts for most use in commercial use. Asbestos is well known health hazard material and it is proved that inhalation of asbestos fibers leads to increased risk of developing several diseases such as lung cancer, mesothelioma, asbestosis. In these days, people most at risk for exposure are maintenance and construction workers and general citizens who are working on and close to the work area at which asbestos containing material is disturbing. Non asbestiform, though its chemical composition is same with regulated asbestos, is known to be less hazardous than asbestiform. Exposure guideline, 0.01 f/ml, is not safe level in terms of health risk. It is reasonable to take preventable action when asbestos is suspicious. In Korea, it is necessary to clarify the concept between hazard and risk, to differentiate asbestiform from non asbestiform, to make regulations for compensation for asbestos related patients, to manage future exposure for general citizens.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.71 no.5
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• pp.317-321
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• 2011

Occupational lung disease (OLD) is a group of lung diseases caused and/or aggravated by organic and inorganic inhaled dust, fumes, and mist. OLD can develop under various occupational situations. Therefore, occupational history should be considered when evaluating respiratory symptoms. Once OLD is developed, it may not be treated and may even progress after exposure to the causative agents has stopped. The best ways to treat OLD are prevention and early detection by controlling the working environment and conducting regular surveillance of workers. Common OLDs in Korea are coal worker's pneumoconiosis, asbestos-related diseases, and occupational asthma. Recent aspects of these common OLDs in Korea will be described based on recently published studies.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.26 no.7
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• pp.532-537
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• 1993

To assess the therapy of spontaneous pneumothorax in the aged patients, the treatment methods and results in 60 patients 50 years of age or older were retrospectively reviewed. Most of the patients were male [56 of 60 patients] and the major underlying lung diseases associated with spontaneous pneumothorax were tuberculosis [32 patients] and chronic obstructive lung disease [20 patients]. The recurrence rate of thoracostomy tube drainage with or without chemical pleurodesis using tetracycline was 39.6% [21 of 53 patients], but there was no recurrence in the patients treated with open thoracotomy, pleural abrasion, and chemical pleurodesis using talcum powder[Asbestosis free]. In the patients treated with open thoracotomy, the bullous or bleb lesions were placed in the various sites of both lungs. We concluded that even though thoracostomy tube drainage is the first choice of therapy for spontaneous pneumothorax in the aged patients, the recurrence rate is high, especially in the patients with persistent air leakage for more than 2 days, and the open thoracotomy with pleural abrasion and chemical pleurodesis using talcum powder can prevent the recurrence in the selected patients.