TY - JOUR
T1 - Libby Amphibole Disease
T2 - Pulmonary Function and CT Abnormalities in Vermiculite Miners
AU - Miller, Albert
AU - Szeinuk, Jaime
AU - Noonan, Curtis W.
AU - Henschke, Claudia I.
AU - Pfau, Jean
AU - Black, Brad
AU - Yankelevitz, David F.
AU - Liang, Mingzhu
AU - Liu, Ying
AU - Yip, Rowena
AU - McNew, Tracy
AU - Linker, Laura
AU - Flores, Raja
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Copyright 2017 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
PY - 2018/2/1
Y1 - 2018/2/1
N2 - Objective: This article describes radiologic and pulmonary function findings among miners exposed to Libby amphibole. Computed tomography (CT) permits the detection of the characteristic thin, lamellar pleural thickening (LPT). Methods: Individuals who worked at the mine for a minimum of 6 months had chest CT and pulmonary function tests. Results: Pleural thickening was noted in 223 (87%) of the 256 miners, parenchymal abnormalities in 49 (19%). LPT, found in 151 (68%), was associated with low values of forced vital capacity and diffusion capacity and significantly lower values in all pulmonary function tests when associated with parenchymal abnormalities. Conclusion: Eighty-seven percent of miners exposed to Libby Amphibole had pleural abnormalities on CT. LPT alone, and more so with parenchymal abnormalities, resulted in decreased pulmonary function. The importance of this easily missed LPT is demonstrated by its high frequency and significant functional effects.
AB - Objective: This article describes radiologic and pulmonary function findings among miners exposed to Libby amphibole. Computed tomography (CT) permits the detection of the characteristic thin, lamellar pleural thickening (LPT). Methods: Individuals who worked at the mine for a minimum of 6 months had chest CT and pulmonary function tests. Results: Pleural thickening was noted in 223 (87%) of the 256 miners, parenchymal abnormalities in 49 (19%). LPT, found in 151 (68%), was associated with low values of forced vital capacity and diffusion capacity and significantly lower values in all pulmonary function tests when associated with parenchymal abnormalities. Conclusion: Eighty-seven percent of miners exposed to Libby Amphibole had pleural abnormalities on CT. LPT alone, and more so with parenchymal abnormalities, resulted in decreased pulmonary function. The importance of this easily missed LPT is demonstrated by its high frequency and significant functional effects.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85042497515&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/JOM.0000000000001178
DO - 10.1097/JOM.0000000000001178
M3 - Article
C2 - 29200190
AN - SCOPUS:85042497515
SN - 1076-2752
VL - 60
SP - 167
EP - 173
JO - Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
JF - Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
IS - 2
ER -
