Bilateral pleural plaques in Corsica: a marker of non-occupational asbestos exposure.
In north-east Corsica, asbestos outcrops are a source of environmental pollution, as assessed by airborne concentrations of chrysotile and tremolite that are significantly higher in the north-east than the north-west. For this reason we compared the frequencies of patients with asbestos pleural plaques in these 2 regions by checking the X-rays of 1721 patients born in north Corsica who had not undergone any occupational exposure to asbestos. The percentage of plaques was respectively 3.7% in the north-east, and 1.1% in the north-west (p less than 0.05). The relative risk of 3.3 demonstrates a strong relationship between environmental asbestos and the pleural plaques found in north-east Corsica.
Boutin
G
G
Department of Pneumology, Conception Hospital, Marseilles, France.
Viallat
J R
JR
Steinbauer
J
J
Dufour
G
G
Gaudichet
A
A
D000368:Aged; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D001194:Asbestos / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D017636:Asbestos, Amphibole; D017632:Asbestos, Serpentine; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010995:Pleural Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D011859:Radiography; D012824:Silicic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000009:adverse effects*
D000393:Air Pollutants; D017636:Asbestos, Amphibole; D017632:Asbestos, Serpentine; D001194:Asbestos; D012824:Silicic Acid; C005846:tremolite; D012822:Silicon Dioxide