title: Chest HRCT signs predict deaths in long-term follow-up among asbestos exposed workers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study associations between chest HRCT signs and subsequent deaths in long-term follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  Lung and pleural signs of 633 asbestos exposed workers (age 45-86, mean 65) screened with HRCT were recorded by using the International Classification of Occupational and Environmental Respiratory Diseases (ICOERD) system, which contains detailed instructions for use and reference images. Subsequent mortality was checked from the national register. Cox regression adjusted for covariates (age, sex, BMI, asbestos exposure, pack-years) was used to explore the relations between HRCT signs and all-cause deaths, cardiovascular and benign respiratory deaths, and deaths from neoplasms - all according to the ICD-10 diagnostic system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The follow-up totalled 5271.9 person-years (mean 8.3 y/person, range .04-10.3). 119 deaths were reported. Irregular/linear opacities, honeycombing, emphysema, large opacities, visceral pleural abnormalities and bronchial wall thickening were all significantly related to all-cause deaths. Most of these signs were associated also with deaths from neoplasms and benign respiratory disease. Deaths from cardiovascular disease were predicted by emphysema and visceral pleural abnormalities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Several HRCT signs predicted deaths. Careful attention should be paid on subjects with radiological signs predictive of deaths and new secondary preventive strategies developed. This calls for further focused studies among different populations.
authors.affiliation: Health and Work Ability, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A, FI-00250 Helsinki, Finland. Electronic address: tapio.vehmas@ttl.fi.
authors.forename: Tapio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vehmas
authors.affiliation: Health and Work Ability, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Uimalankatu 1, FI-33101 Tampere, Finland. Electronic address: panu.oksa@ttl.fi.
authors.forename: Panu
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Oksa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001195:Asbestosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Classification; Follow-up studies; Lung diseases; Mortality; Tomography; X-ray computed