NONISCHEMIC MYOCARDIAL FIBROSIS AFTER LONG-TERM ASBESTOS EXPOSURE

To determine whether or not myocardial fibrosis in the left ventricle increases after exposure to asbestos fiber, we studied myocardial fibr osis in 42 autopsied hearts: 17 of asbestosis (AS) and 18 of chronic p ulmonary disease (CP) without pneumoconiosis, Seven patients with extr a-cardiopulmonary disease were used as a control group (CONT). The ext ent of myocardial fibrosis in the left ventricle was significantly gre ater in the AS group compared to the other groups (AS 3.6 +/- 1.3% vs. CP 2.4 +/- 1.0% vs. CONT 1.6 +/- 0.8%). There was a significant diffe rence in the appearance ratio of focal fibrosis between the asbestosis group and the other groups, Focal fibrosis was observed in none of 7 control patients, in 3 of 18 patients with chronic pulmonary disease a nd in 9 of 17 patients with asbestosis, We concluded that characterist ic myocardial fibrosis was observed in humans after long-term asbestos exposure.