Mineralogic correlates of fibrosis in chrysotile miners and millers

Journal Article · Sat Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1989 · Am. Rev. Respir. Dis.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1164/ajrccm/139.4.891· OSTI ID:6146512

Churg, A; Wright, J L; DePaoli, L; Wiggs, B

To determine which mineral parameters relate to the degree of interstitial fibrosis (asbestosis) in the lungs of chrysotile miners and millers, we graded fibrosis histologically and correlated fibrosis grades with fiber concentration and mean size, surface area, and mass, and with total sample fiber length, surface area, and mass in 21 cases. A positive correlation of fibrosis grade with tremolite concentration and a lesser correlation with chrysotile concentration was found for whole lungs, specific sites within lungs, and, for tremolite, single microscopic fields. No correlations were found for measures of chrysotile fiber size, surface area, or mass, but tremolite mean fiber length, aspect ratio, and surface area were, surprisingly, negatively correlated with fibrosis grade. Measures based on total rather than on mean case or site parameters failed to show correlations with fibrosis. We conclude that: (1) degree of pulmonary fibrosis reflects fiber concentration at both a bulk and a microscopic level; (2) mean fiber length and parameters related to mean fiber length also correlate with fibrosis grade, but, contrary to predictions from animal studies, this correlation is negative, suggesting that short fibers may be more important in the genesis of pulmonary fibrosis than is commonly believed; (3) there is no evidence that parameters such as total fiber length, surface area, or mass provide predictors of degree of fibrosis.

• Research Organization: Univ. of British Columbia, Vancouver (Canada)
• OSTI ID: 6146512
• Journal Information: Am. Rev. Respir. Dis.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. Rev. Respir. Dis.; (United States) Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 139:4; ISSN ARDSB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ASBESTOS
BODY
DISEASES
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
EPIDEMIOLOGY
FIBROSIS
LUNGS
MICROSCOPY
MINING
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
ORGANS
PARTICLE SIZE
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
SIZE
SURFACE AREA
SURFACE PROPERTIES
TOXICITY