Jump to main content
US EPA
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Search
Search
Main menu
Environmental Topics
Laws & Regulations
About EPA
Health & Environmental Research Online (HERO)
Contact Us
Print
Feedback
Export to File
Search:
This record has one attached file:
Add More Files
Attach File(s):
Display Name for File*:
Save
Citation
Tags
HERO ID
2079078
Reference Type
Journal Article
Title
Descriptive analysis of the respiratory health status of persons exposed to Libby amphibole asbestos
Author(s)
Winters, CA; Hill, WG; Rowse, K; Black, B; Kuntz, SW; Weinert, C
Year
2012
Is Peer Reviewed?
Yes
Journal
British Medical Journal (International Edition)
ISSN:
0959-8146
EISSN:
0959-535X
Publisher
BMJ PUBLISHING GROUP
Location
LONDON
Volume
2
Issue
6
Page Numbers
e001552
Language
English
PMID
23175736
DOI
10.1136/bmjopen-2012-001552
Web of Science Id
WOS:000315081400057
URL
https://bmjopen.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/bmjopen-2012-001552
Exit
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
Describe respiratory health and quality of life in persons exposed to Libby amphibole asbestos (LAA) contaminated vermiculite.
DESIGN:
Cross-sectional descriptive.
SETTING:
Asbestos-related disease clinic in Libby, Montana USA.
PARTICIPANTS:
329 individuals exposed to LAA; mostly men, married, between 50 and 69 years; two-thirds lived in the surrounding county; one-third lived elsewhere in the state and USA.
PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES:
Chest radiograph (CXR), pulmonary function data and the St George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ).
RESULTS:
Exposure categories included vermiculite workers=7.6%; family/household contact of vermiculite worker=32%; and environmental exposure only=60%. Of the participants, 55% had only pleural abnormalities; 5.4% had only interstitial abnormalities; nearly 21% had both abnormalities and 18% had no lung abnormality on chest x-ray. Mean forced vital capacity (FVC) 95.3% (SD=18.7); forced expiratory volume (FEV(1)) mean 87% (SD=20.2); ratio of FEV1(1)/FVC 95.5% (SD=12.0); and diffusing capacity (DLCO) of 83% (SD=21.7) of the percent predicted. The mean total SGRQ (38.5; SD=22.1) indicated a lower quality of life than healthy persons and persons with other chronic conditions. SGRQ subscale means were Symptoms 52.1 (SD=24.9), activity 49.4 (SD=26.9) and impacts 27.5 (SD=21.9). Participants with normal CXR differed significantly from those with both interstitial and pleural abnormalities on total, activity and impacts scores. For activity alone, subjects with normal CXR differed significantly from those with pleural disease; no differences were found for those with interstitial disease. Significant findings were found for smoking history across all pulmonary measures, and for exposure status, radiographic findings, age and gender for select pulmonary parameters. Subjects with any smoking history had significantly worse average total and subscale scores on the SGRQ.
CONCLUSIONS:
Of 329 persons exposed to LAA, the majority (182) had pleural abnormalities identified on CXR. SGRQ scores for persons with abnormalities (pleural, interstitial or both) (269) differed significantly from those with a normal CXR.
Tags
IRIS
•
Libby Amphibole Asbestos (Draft, 2011)
Pulmonary Function Search, Sept 2013
Database Search
Full Text Screening
Excluded
DPT or mixed or undefined group
OPPT REs
•
OPPT_Asbestos, Part I: Chrysotile_F. Human Health
Total – title/abstract screening
On topic
Peer review
Primary source
Other forms of asbestos
•
OPPT_Asbestos, Part I: Chrysotile_Supplemental Search
LitSearch: Sept 2020 (Undated)
ProQuest
PubMed
Toxline
WoS
Vermiculite
Legacy Uses
Health Outcomes
Additional Legacy Terms
Exposure
Additional Legacy Terms
Suggested Legacy References
Home
Learn about HERO
Using HERO
Search HERO
Projects in HERO
Risk Assessment
Transparency & Integrity