Development and use of a pneumoconiosis database of human pulmonary inorganic particulate burden in over 400 lungs.
Over 400 cases with data from in situ electron microprobe quantitation of non-fibrous inorganic particles (e.g., silica, alumino-silicates, talc, metals) in pulmonary tissue sections, and data from quantitative digestion analyses for fiber content (e.g., asbestos, silica, alumino-silicates, man-made fibers, talc) comprise an extensive microcomputer data set of lung particle burden. When allied with demographic and histopathologic information the result is a comprehensive database of occupational pulmonary pathology. Examples of the kinds of information which can be extracted from the database include: 1) summary information on the types sizes and associations of particles in lungs with a variety of exposures, 2) concentrations of etiologic particle type in cases with recognized pneumoconioses, and 3) correlations between particle type, pathology, occupation and social history. The database provides a powerful tool for assessing such information on statistically meaningful sample sets.
Abraham
J L
JL
Department of Pathology, State University of New York, Syracuse 13210.
Burnett
B R
BR
Hunt
A
A
D001194:Asbestos; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004391:Dust; D006801:Humans; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008903:Minerals; D010316:Particle Size; D011009:Pneumoconiosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D012822:Silicon Dioxide
D004391:Dust; D008903:Minerals; D001194:Asbestos; D012822:Silicon Dioxide