<abstract xml:lang="en" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">As a rule, asbestosis is a disease of workers who are occupationally exposed to inhalation of asbestos dust, leaving permanent alterations on the lung parenchyma or pleura. In our ten-year study, we investigated 318 workers with pleural asbestosis from whom we took medical history which included occupational exposure to asbestos, radiological examinations and lung function, which is mandatory for the diagnosis and the follow up of the disease. We analysed functional parameters such as forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) and intermediate forced expiratory flow at 25% to 75% (FEF25%-75%). In addition, we investigated the predicted values of functional parameters according to smoking and non-smoking habits. We found a significant reduction in vital capacity, particularly in smokers after 25 years of exposure to asbestos. During the first 15 years, values of vital capacity on the group basis remained inside the 80% of the normal values and were not significant for assessing the dynamics of the lung function. To better assess the effects of occupational asbestos exposure, it is necessary to interpret lung function data not only on the group basis, but also for each subject individually.</abstract>

As a rule, asbestosis is a disease of workers who are occupationally exposed to inhalation of asbestos dust, leaving permanent alterations on the lung parenchyma or pleura. In our ten-year study, we investigated 318 workers with pleural asbestosis from whom we took medical history which included occupational exposure to asbestos, radiological examinations and lung function, which is mandatory for the diagnosis and the follow up of the disease. We analysed functional parameters such as forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) and intermediate forced expiratory flow at 25% to 75% (FEF25%-75%). In addition, we investigated the predicted values of functional parameters according to smoking and non-smoking habits. We found a significant reduction in vital capacity, particularly in smokers after 25 years of exposure to asbestos. During the first 15 years, values of vital capacity on the group basis remained inside the 80% of the normal values and were not significant for assessing the dynamics of the lung function. To better assess the effects of occupational asbestos exposure, it is necessary to interpret lung function data not only on the group basis, but also for each subject individually.

Dynamics of the Lung Function in Asbestos Pleural Disease

University Hospital Split, Split, Croatia

Archives of Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology

{"article-title":"Dynamics of the Lung Function in Asbestos Pleural Disease"}

As a rule, asbestosis is a disease of workers who are occupationally exposed to inhalation of asbestos dust, leaving permanent alterations on the lung...

Dynamics of the Lung Function in Asbestos Pleural Disease

Published Online: Dec 06, 2007

Page range: 407 - 412

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10004-007-0033-3

Keywords
forsirani vitalni kapacitet, individualno praćenje, pleuralna azbestoza, profesionalna izloženost, pušenje

This content is open access.

Dynamics of the Lung Function in Asbestos Pleural Disease

Published Online: Dec 06, 2007

Page range: 407 - 412

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10004-007-0033-3

Keywordsforsirani vitalni kapacitet, individualno praćenje, pleuralna azbestoza, profesionalna izloženost, pušenje

This content is open access.

Keywords
forsirani vitalni kapacitet, individualno praćenje, pleuralna azbestoza, profesionalna izloženost, pušenje