title: Risk and significance of chest radiograph and pulmonary function abnormalities in an elderly cohort of former nuclear weapons workers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate prevalence and risk factors for International Labour Organization radiographic abnormalities, and assess relationship of these abnormalities with spirometry results in former Department of Energy nuclear weapons workers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were offered chest x-ray (CXR) and lung function testing. Three occupational medicine physicians read CXRs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-five (5.9%) of 757 screened workers were found to have isolated parenchymal abnormalities on CXR and this rate is higher than that in many Department of Energy studies. Parenchymal and pleural and isolated pleural abnormalities were found in 19 (2.5%) and 37 (4.9%) workers, respectively, and these rates are lower than those in other Department of Energy studies to date. Lung function impairment was associated with radiographic abnormalities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study found an elevated rate of parenchymal abnormalities compared to other DoE populations but the effect of age or other causes could not be ruled out.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA. marek-mikulski@uiowa.edu
authors.forename: Marek A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mikulski
authors.forename: Patrick G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Hartley
authors.forename: Nancy L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Sprince
authors.forename: Wayne T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Sanderson
authors.forename: Spencer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lourens
authors.forename: Nicole E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Worden
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Laurence J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Fuortes
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001194:Asbestos / Q000009:adverse effects; D001464:Barium / Q000009:adverse effects; D001608:Beryllium / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology; D053834:Explosive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054043:Nuclear Weapons; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D010994:Pleura / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010995:Pleural Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015995:Prevalence; D011859:Radiography; D013147:Spirometry; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D053834:Explosive Agents; D001194:Asbestos; D001464:Barium; D001608:Beryllium