Factors Affecting Asbestosis Mortality Among Asbestos-Cement Workers in Italy

Abstract Objectives This study was performed with the aim of investigating the temporal patterns and determinants associated with mortality from asbestosis among 21 cohorts of Asbestos-Cement (AC) workers who were heavily exposed to asbestos fibres. Methods Mortality for asbestosis was analysed for a cohort of 13 076 Italian AC workers (18.1% women). Individual cumulative asbestos exposure index was calculated by factory and period of work weighting by the different composition of asbestos used (crocidolite, amosite, and chrysotile). Two different approaches to analysis, based on Standardized Mortality Ratios (SMRs) and Age-Period-Cohort (APC) models were applied. Results Among the considered AC facilities, asbestos exposure was extremely high until the end of the 1970s and, due to the long latency, a peak of asbestosis mortality was observed after the 1990s. Mortality for asbestosis reached extremely high SMR values [SMR: males 508, 95% confidence interval (CI): 446–563; females 1027, 95% CI: 771–1336]. SMR increased steeply with the increasing values of cumulative asbestos exposure and with Time Since the First Exposure. APC analysis reported a clear age effect with a mortality peak at 75–80 years; the mortality for asbestosis increased in the last three quintiles of the cumulative exposure; calendar period did not have a significant temporal component while the cohort effect disappeared if we included in the model the cumulative exposure to asbestos. Conclusions Among heaviest exposed workers, mortality risk for asbestosis began to increase before 50 years of age. Mortality for asbestosis was mainly determined by cumulative exposure to asbestos.

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Are children more vulnerable to mesothelioma than adults? A comparison of mesothelioma risk among children and adults exposed non-occupationally to blue asbestos at Wittenoom

Occupational and Environmental Medicine ◽

10.1136/oemed-2018-105108 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 75 (12) ◽

pp. 898-903 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Alison Reid ◽

Peter Franklin ◽

Geoffrey Berry ◽

Susan Peters ◽

Nita Sodhi-Berry ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Proportional Hazards ◽

Asbestos Exposure ◽

Age Groups ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Incidence Rates ◽

Cumulative Exposure ◽

Survival Models ◽

Response Relationship ◽

Exposure Response ◽

Long Latency

ObjectivesThe presence of asbestos in public buildings is a legacy of past asbestos use in many developed countries. Of particular concern is the amount and current condition in schools and the vulnerability of children to mesothelioma. Our aim was to compare the risk of mesothelioma between those exposed to blue asbestos as children and as adults at Wittenoom.MethodsPublic sources were used to establish the Wittenoom residents’ cohort. Mesothelioma incidence rates per 100 000 person-years at risk were derived for those first exposed to asbestos at Wittenoom as children (<15 years) or adults separately. Proportional hazards survival models examined the slope of the exposure-response relationship between asbestos exposure and incidence of mesothelioma in different sex and age groups.ResultsThe mesothelioma rate was lower among those first exposed as children (76.8 per 100 000) than those first exposed as adults (121.3 per 100 000). Adjusting for cumulative exposure to asbestos and sex, those exposed as adults had a greater risk of mesothelioma (adjusted HR 2.5, 95% CI 1.7 to 3.7). The slope of the exposure-response relationship did not differ between those exposed as children and those exposed as adults.ConclusionWe found no greater susceptibility to mesothelioma among those first exposed to asbestos as children than those first exposed as adults. However, given the long latency of mesothelioma, and the greater years of life yet to be lived by the Wittenoom children, it is likely that there will be more cases of mesothelioma in the future among those first exposed as children.

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Two cases of asbestosis and one case of rounded atelectasis due to non-occupational asbestos exposure

Monaldi Archives for Chest Disease ◽

10.4081/monaldi.2008.410 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 69 (1) ◽

Author(s):

S.M. Candura ◽

A. Binarelli ◽

G. Ragno ◽

F. Scafa

Keyword(s):

Occupational Diseases ◽

Asbestos Exposure ◽

Occupational Exposures ◽

Respiratory Illnesses ◽

Pleural Plaques ◽

Long Latency ◽

Asbestos Cement ◽

Progression Of Disease ◽

Contaminated Area

Asbestos is a well-known cause of several neoplastic (malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer) and non-neoplastic (asbestosis, pleuropathies) occupational diseases. Lower-level exposure in the general environment may induce pleural plaques and thickenings, and is associated with an increased mesothelioma risk. We present two patients (a 68-year-old man and a 72-year-old woman) who developed asbestosis (in association with pleural plaques and calcifications), and a 78-year-old man who developed rounded atelectasis (with pleural plaques and benign effusion), after living for several decades in the proximity of large Italian asbestos-cement plant. None of them had been exposed to asbestos occupationally. Besides living in a contaminated area, the woman used to clean the work clothes of her brother, who was employed in the local asbestos factory. The three cases indicate that non-neoplastic, long-latency asbestos-related diseases which are usually observed as a consequence of occupational exposures, may rarely develop in subjects living in contaminated geographical sites and buildings. These unusual environmental diseases raise the diagnostic problem of differentiating them from other, more common respiratory illnesses, and impose the duties of patient notification, assessment and follow-up, to assess the possibility of progression of disease and increased neoplastic risk.

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Asbestos Exposure Level and the Carcinogenic Risk Due to Corrugated Asbestos-Cement Slate Roofs in Korea

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18136925 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (13) ◽

pp. 6925

Author(s):

Eun-Soo Lee ◽

Young-Ki Kim

Keyword(s):

Asbestos Exposure ◽

Health Impact ◽

Pooled Analysis ◽

Carcinogenic Risk ◽

University Hospital ◽

Exposure Level ◽

Lifetime Cancer Risk ◽

Indoor Exposure ◽

Asbestos Cement ◽

Environmental Causes

Asbestos-cement slate roofs are one of the most common environmental causes of asbestos exposure. However, few studies have examined residential asbestos-cement slate-related exposure and its effects on human health. This study was performed to evaluate cumulative asbestos exposure levels and to calculate the Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk (ELCR) of residents of asbestos-cement slate-roofed houses. We reviewed previous Korean literature to estimate the concentration of airborne asbestos from asbestos-cement slate roofed buildings. Finally, eight studies were selected, and a pooled analysis was performed. The results derived from the pooled analysis were combined with the data from a health impact survey conducted from 2009 to 2016 at the Environmental Health Center for Asbestos (EHCA) of the Yangsan Pusan National University Hospital, and a carcinogenic risk assessment was performed. As a result, the representative value of the indoor exposure concentration related to asbestos-cement slate was found to be 0.0032 f/cc on average, and the representative value of the exposure related to occupational asbestos-cement slate dismantling and demolition was found to be 0.0034 f/cc. In addition, the ELCR of asbestos-cement slate related indoor exposure and occupational dismantling and demolition was found to be of medium risk, and the ELCR of residential dismantling and demolition of asbestos-cement slate was less than 10−6, indicating that the risk was low. Since there is no threshold for carcinogenicity related to asbestos, this should not be ignored even if the risk appears low, and it would be reasonable to calculate the carcinogenic risk based on total lifetime exposure. More studies on asbestos exposure scenarios and the scope of similar exposure groups through additional data collection and further analysis of risk are needed.

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GENETIC LINKAGE IN THE HORSE. II. DISTRIBUTION OF MALE RECOMBINATION ESTIMATES AND THE INFLUENCE OF AGE, BREED AND SEX ON RECOMBINATION FREQUENCY

Genetics ◽

10.1093/genetics/106.1.109 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 106 (1) ◽

pp. 109-122

Author(s):

Leif Andersson ◽

Kaj Sandberg

Keyword(s):

Genetic Linkage ◽

Recombination Frequency ◽

Age Effect ◽

Significant Heterogeneity ◽

Male Recombination ◽

Male And Female ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Individual Male ◽

Breed Differences ◽

Age And Sex

ABSTRACT n the present study an extensive amount of data, comprising more than 30,000 offspring in total, was analyzed to evaluate the influence of age and sex on the recombination frequency in the K-PGD segment of the equine linkage group (LG) I and the influence of age, breed and sex on recombination in the Al-Es segment of LG II. A highly significant sex difference is reported for both segments. Male and female recombination values in the K-PGD segment were estimated at 25.8 ± 0.8 and 33.3 ± 2.5%, respectively. Similarly, recombination was less frequent in the male (36.6 ± 0.7%) than in the female (46.6 ± 1.2%) in the Al-Es segment. Comparison of data from two Swedish horse breeds revealed no significant breed differences in either sex for recombination in the Al-Es segment. No evidence of an age effect was found in any segment or sex. The distribution of individual male recombination estimates was also investigated, and a significant heterogeneity among stallions was revealed in the K-PGD segment. The results are discussed in relation to previous studies on factors affecting recombination in mammals.

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Increased oxidative stress and plasma Hsp70 levels among gasoline filling station attendants

Toxicology and Industrial Health ◽

10.1177/0748233715616554 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 33 (2) ◽

pp. 171-181 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Bing Xia ◽

Kangcheng Chen ◽

Yingnan Lv ◽

Damin Huang ◽

Jing Liu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

Stress Protein ◽

Weighted Average ◽

Exposed Group ◽

Cumulative Exposure ◽

Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽

Control Group ◽

Gasoline Station ◽

Filling Station ◽

Exposed Workers

Objectives: Methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT) is an organic derivative of manganese (Mn) and is used as an antiknock agent and octane enhancer in gasoline. In this article, we tested the oxidative stress and heat stress protein (Hsp) 70 levels of gasoline station attendants to explore potential plasma biomarkers. Furthermore, the dose–response relationship was also identified. Methods: A total of 144 workers, including 96 petrol fillers and 48 cashiers, participated in the study. Ambient concentrations of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) and Mn were monitored at nine filling stations. During the measuring process, the individual cumulative exposure index was calculated. Plasma oxidative stress and Hsp70 levels were also analysed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: The BTEX time-weighted average in office areas was significantly lower than in refuelling areas ( p < 0.05). In refuelling areas, the content of Mn ranged from 6.44 μg/m3 to 127.34 μg/m3, which was much higher than that in office areas (3.16–7.22 μg/m3; p < 0.05). Exposed workers had significantly different plasma oxidative stress indicators compared with the control group, respectively: superoxide dismutase (SOD), 39.18 ± 6.05 U/mL versus 52.84 ± 3.87 U/mL; glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), 186.07 ± 15.63 U versus 194.38 ± 10.42 U; and malondialdehyde (MDA), 1.68 ± 0.52 nmol/L versus 1.43 ± 0.64 nmol/L (in all comparisons, p < 0.05). Plasma Hsp70 level in the exposed group (2.77 ± 0.64 ng/mL) was significantly higher than in the control group (2.32 ± 0.87 ng/mL; p < 0.05). Furthermore, Hsp70 levels were inversely correlated with the activities of SOD ( r = −0.305) and GSH-Px ( r = −0.302) in the exposed group ( p < 0.05). Moreover, a positive correlation ( r = 0.653) was found between plasma Hsp70 levels and plasma MDA levels ( p < 0.05). Conclusion: Exposure to MMT-containing gasoline may result in increasing reactive oxygen stress among filling station attendants. Plasma Hsp70 levels could be used as a sensitive responsive biomarker for exposed workers.

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Increased Standardised Incidence Ratio of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma in Taiwanese Asbestos Workers: A 29-Year Retrospective Cohort Study

BioMed Research International ◽

10.1155/2015/678598 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2015 ◽

pp. 1-10 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Cheng-Kuan Lin ◽

Yu-Ying Chang ◽

Jung-Der Wang ◽

Lukas Jyuhn-Hsiarn Lee

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

General Population ◽

Incidence Rate ◽

Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma ◽

Retrospective Cohort Study ◽

Retrospective Cohort ◽

Asbestos Exposure ◽

Pleural Mesothelioma ◽

Calendar Period ◽

Incident Cases

Objective. This paper aimed to determine the standardised incidence ratio (SIR) of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) in workers exposed to asbestos in Taiwan.Methods. All workers employed in asbestos-related factories and registered by the Bureau of Labour Insurance between 1 March, 1950, and 31 December, 1989, were included in the study and were followed from 1 January, 1980, through 31 December, 2009. Incident cases of all cancers, including MPM (ICD-9 code: 163), were obtained from the Taiwan Cancer Registry. SIRs were calculated based on comparison with the incidence rate of the general population of Taiwan and adjusted for age, calendar period, sex, and duration of employment.Results. The highest SIR of MPM was found for male workers first employed before 1979, with a time since first employment more than 30 years (SIR 4.52, 95% CI: 2.25–8.09). After consideration of duration of employment, the SIR for male MPM was 5.78 (95% CI: 1.19–16.89) for the workers employed for more than 20 years in asbestos-related factories.Conclusions. This study corroborates the association between occupational asbestos exposure and MPM. The highest risk of MPM was found among male asbestos workers employed before 1979 and working for more than 20 years in asbestos-related factories.

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Asbestos Exposure of Chrysotile Miners and Millers in Balangero, Italy

Annals of Work Exposures and Health ◽

10.1093/annweh/wxaa045 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 64 (6) ◽

pp. 636-644

Author(s):

Stefano Silvestri ◽

Daniela Ferrante ◽

Andrea Giovannini ◽

Francesco Grassi ◽

Stefania Carofalo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Working Conditions ◽

Western Europe ◽

Asbestos Exposure ◽

Industrial Hygiene ◽

Cumulative Exposure ◽

State Archive ◽

Work Area ◽

Russian Study ◽

History Of

Abstract The largest chrysotile mine in Western Europe was active in Balangero (Italy) from 1917 to 1990. We quantitatively assessed exposure to asbestos in the framework of a cohort study on mortality of Balangero miners and millers. Using documents filed at the Italian State Archive we reconstructed the job-histories of cohort members. The concentration of asbestos fibres by work-area was derived from industrial hygiene surveys since 1968 and monitoring programs since 1975. Earlier exposures had been estimated based on the experimental reconstruction of past working conditions. In the mine concentrations of about 20 fibres per millilitre (f/ml) were initially present, decreasing to 5 in the mid-1950s and to <1 in late 1970s. In milling areas higher levels were present and did not fall below 1 f/ml until the mid-1980s. Cumulative exposure of cohort members, as the sum over their job-history of their year- and area-specific exposures, were <10 fibre/millilitre years (f/ml-y) in 18% of workers, 10–100 in 32%, 100–1000 in 37%, and >1000 in 13%. Compared with recently published estimates for the Russian chrysotile mine in Asbest, fibre concentrations in Balangero were higher during the 1950s and 1960s. Such difference may be partly accounted for by difficulties in converting dust measurements to fibre concentrations in the Russian study and the need to rely on the experimental reconstruction of exposures before 1968 in our study.

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Voluntary Exercise in Mesothelioma: Effects on Tumour Growth and Treatment Response in a Murine Model

10.21203/rs.3.rs-42645/v2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Scott A FISHER ◽

Carolyn J Peddle-McIntyre ◽

Kimberley Burton ◽

Robert U Newton ◽

Elly Marcq ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Human Cancer ◽

Asbestos Exposure ◽

Voluntary Exercise ◽

Preventive Strategy ◽

Substantial Evidence ◽

Long Latency ◽

Prevention Studies ◽

Asbestos Related Disease ◽

Clinical Paradigm ◽

Risk Of Cancer

Abstract Objective: There is substantial evidence that exercise can safely reduce the risk of cancer and improve survival in different human cancer populations. Long latency periods associated with carcinogen‑induced cancers like asbestos induced mesothelioma provide an opportunity to implement exercise as an intervention to delay or prevent disease development. However, there are limited studies investigating the ability of exercise to prevent or delay cancer, and exercise as a preventive strategy has never been assessed in models with a known carcinogen. We investigated the potential of voluntary exercise (VE) to delay development of asbestos related disease (ARD) in our well-characterised, asbestos induced MexTAg model of mesothelioma.Results: Asbestos exposed MexTAg mice were given continuous or delayed access to VE and ARD assessed over time. We found that the addition of VE did not affect ARD development in asbestos exposed MexTAg mice. However, non‑asbestos exposed, aged matched control mice participated in significantly more VE behaviours, suggesting subclinical development of ARD after asbestos exposure had a greater impact on VE participation than age alone. These data highlight the importance of model choice and the potential limitation that some pre‑clinical studies may not accurately represent the clinical paradigm, particularly in the context of prevention studies.

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Voluntary Exercise in Mesothelioma: Effects on Tumour Growth and Treatment Response in a Murine Model

10.21203/rs.3.rs-42645/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Scott A FISHER ◽

Carolyn J Peddle-McIntyre ◽

Kimberley Burton ◽

Robert U Newton ◽

Elly Marcq ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Human Cancer ◽

Asbestos Exposure ◽

Voluntary Exercise ◽

Preventive Strategy ◽

Substantial Evidence ◽

Long Latency ◽

Prevention Studies ◽

Asbestos Related Disease ◽

Clinical Paradigm ◽

Risk Of Cancer

Abstract Objective There is substantial evidence that exercise can safely reduce the risk of cancer and improve survival in different human cancer populations. Long latency periods associated with carcinogeninduced cancers like asbestos induced mesothelioma provide an opportunity to implement exercise as an intervention to delay or prevent disease development. However, there are limited studies investigating the ability of exercise to prevent or delay cancer, and exercise as a preventive strategy has never been assessed in models with a known carcinogen. We investigated the potential of voluntary exercise (VE) to delay development of asbestos related disease (ARD) in our well-characterised, asbestos induced MexTAg model of mesothelioma. Results Asbestos exposed MexTAg mice were given continuous or delayed access to VE and ARD assessed over time. We found that the addition of VE did not affect ARD development in asbestos exposed MexTAg mice. However, nonasbestos exposed, aged matched control mice participated in significantly more VE behaviours, suggesting subclinical development of ARD after asbestos exposure had a greater impact on VE participation than age alone. These data highlight the importance of model choice and the potential limitation that some preclinical studies may not accurately represent the clinical paradigm, particularly in the context of prevention studies.

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Association of Mesothelioma Deaths With Cumulated Neighborhood Exposures Due to a Large-Scale Asbestos Cement Plant in Amagasaki City, Japan: A Nested Case-control Study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-574038/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yuri Kitamura ◽

Ling Zha ◽

Rong Liu ◽

Masayuki Shima ◽

Tomoki Nakaya ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Occupational Exposure ◽

Large Scale ◽

Case Control Study ◽

Conditional Logistic Regression ◽

Asbestos Exposure ◽

Case Control ◽

Asbestos Cement ◽

Nested Case Control ◽

Dose Dependent ◽

Control Study

Abstract BackgroundAlthough a causal relationship between mesothelioma and asbestos exposure is well known, few studies have shown a relationship to non-occupational exposure, including neighborhood exposure, most likely because of the large effect size of occupational exposure. The aim of this study was to quantify the risk of malignant mesothelioma death associated with neighborhood asbestos exposure due to a large-scale asbestos-cement (AC) plant in Amagasaki, Japan, by properly adjusting for occupational exposure. MethodsThis was a nested case-control study in which a fixed population of 143,929 residents who had been living in Amagasaki City between 1975 and 2002 were followed from 2002 to 2015. All 133 cases and 403 matched controls were interviewed about their occupational, domestic, household, and neighborhood asbestos exposures. Odds ratios (ORs) for mesothelioma death associated with neighborhood exposure were estimated by a conditional logistic-regression model that adjusted for other asbestos exposures. We adopted cumulative indices that considered residence-specific asbestos (crocidolite) concentrations and durations during the potential exposure period of 1957-1975 to evaluate individual neighborhood exposures.ResultsThere was an increasing, dose-dependent risk of mesothelioma death associated with neighborhood exposure, demonstrated by ORs in the highest quintile category that were 21.4 (95%CI: 5.8 to 79.2) for all, 23.7 (95% CI: 3.8-147.2) for males and 26.0 (95% CI: 2.8-237.5) for females, compared to the lowest quintile, respectively. These results clearly demonstrated no substantial differences between males and females in relation to the magnitude of risk from neighborhood exposure.Our findings suggest that the risk of mesothelioma death associated with neighborhood exposure persists and will not be diminished for many years, even though it has been decades since the AC plant closed. ConclusionsBy adjusting for occupational and other asbestos exposures, a dose-dependent relationship was demonstrated between mesothelioma death and neighborhood asbestos exposure from a large-scale AC plant.

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