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The degree of roentgenographic parenchymal opacities attributable to smoking among asbestos-exposed subjects

Journal Article · · American Review of Respiratory Disease (New York); (USA)
; ; ; ; ;  [1]
  1. Univ. of Washington, Seattle (USA)
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Considerable controversy surrounds the question of whether cigarette smoking has the potential to increase the prevalence of small opacities on chest roentgenographs among asbestos-exposed workers. To compare the relative contribution of smoking with other predictors of the presence of roentgenographic small opacities, we examined 661 men enrolled in a double-blind, randomized trial designed to assess the efficacy of vitamin A and beta-carotene in the prevention of lung cancer among workers with heavy occupational asbestos exposure. Subjects in the study population had a mean latency of 35 yr from first asbestos exposure and a mean of 28 yr in their trade. The prevalence of roentgenographic abnormalities consistent with asbestos exposure was 26% for pleural abnormalities alone, 10% for parenchymal abnormalities alone, and 20% for pleural and parenchymal abnormalities together. We investigated occupation, age, latency from first asbestos exposure, and smoking status as predictors of roentgenographic small opacities. Smoking history, independent of latency, contributed to the prevalence and extent of small opacities, but its effect was less than that of latency. We conclude, that in the setting of heavy occupational exposure to asbestos, cigarette smoking confers added risk for the development of roentgenographic small opacities.

OSTI ID:
6721603
Journal Information:
American Review of Respiratory Disease (New York); (USA), Journal Name: American Review of Respiratory Disease (New York); (USA) Vol. 141; ISSN ARDSB; ISSN 0003-0805
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AEROSOLS
ANIMALS
ASBESTOS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOMEDICAL RADIOGRAPHY
BODY
CARCINOGENESIS
COLLOIDS
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DISEASES
DISPERSIONS
LUNGS
MAMMALS
MAN
MATHEMATICS
MEDICINE
NEOPLASMS
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
ORGANS
PATHOGENESIS
PERSONNEL
PRIMATES
RADIOLOGY
REGRESSION ANALYSIS
RESIDUES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
SMOKES
SOLS
STATISTICS
TOBACCO SMOKES
TOXICITY
VERTEBRATES
VITAMIN A
VITAMINS