title: Asbestos-related diffuse pleural thickening.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The clinical features of asbestos-related diffuse pleural thickening (DPT) remain unclear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To clarify the association between radiological findings of DPT and respiratory function.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical data from patients with asbestos-related DPT were collected, including their history of occupational or neighborhood asbestos exposure, initial symptoms, modified Medical Research Council dyspnea grade, smoking history, radiological findings, and respiratory function test results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 106 DPT patients between 2005 and 2010 [i.e. 103 men (97.2%) and 3 women (2.8%)]. The median age at diagnosis was 69 years (range 46-88). Patient occupations related to asbestos exposure included: asbestos product manufacturing (n = 17); the shipbuilding industry (n = 14); the construction industry (n = 13); heat insulation work (n = 12); plumbing, asbestos spraying, and electrical work (n = 7 each), and transportation and demolition work (n = 4 each). The median duration of asbestos exposure was 25 years (range 2-54), and the median latency period before the onset of DPT was 46 years (range 25-66). Involvement of the costophrenic angle (CPA) was also negatively correlated with the percent vital capacity (%VC; r = -0.448, p < 0.01). Pleural thickness and the craniocaudal and horizontal extension of pleural thickening, as determined by chest computed tomography (CT), were also negatively correlated with %VC (r = -0.226, p < 0.05; r = -0.409, p < 0.01, and r = -0.408, p < 0.01, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DPT develops after a long latency period following occupational asbestos exposure and causes marked respiratory dysfunction. The extension of DPT should be evaluated by chest CT, and chest X-ray would be important for the evaluation of the involvement of the CPA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Okayama Rosai Hospital, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Nobukazu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
authors.forename: Katsuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Ikuji
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Usami
authors.forename: Fumikazu
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tokuyama
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miyamoto
authors.forename: Takumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kishimoto
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001195:Asbestosis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000517:prevention & control; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000517:prevention & control; D010994:Pleura / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D010995:Pleural Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests / Q000379:methods; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods