title: Beryllium Biobank 3: considerations for improving chronic beryllium disease screening.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To optimize beryllium worker screening.
  
  
  METHODS
  Beryllium-exposed persons are classified as beryllium-exposed, beryllium-sensitized (BeS), or chronic beryllium disease. Implications of defining BeS by two or more positive lymphocyte proliferation tests (LPTs) were investigated with a simple binomial model. The potential effect of adjusting the interval for repeated intensive testing to detect chronic beryllium disease among persons with BeS was assessed with a Markov model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Accuracy of properly identifying BeS is reduced as the number of repeated tests increases. Markov simulation illustrates that adjusting second-stage screening intervals on the basis of personal risk may significantly affect cost-effectiveness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The criteria for classification as BeS should be adjusted depending on the number of LPTs performed. Modifying the interval for repeated intensive testing on the basis of each worker's data can improve cost-effectiveness.
authors.affiliation: From the Community, Environment, and Policy Division, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Harber
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Su
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001607:Berylliosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008390:Markov Chains; D008403:Mass Screening; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity