ASBESTOS-RELATED DISEASES IN CONSTRUCTION CARPENTERS

To assess the association of minimal parenchymal fibrosis and pleural plaques with respiratory functional impairment, we conducted a survey of 631 asbestos-exposed construction carpenters. This population had a relatively low prevalence of radiographic abnormalities and lung func tion impairment. Pleural plaques was the asbestos-related disease most prevalent, followed by interstitial fibrosis with predominantly low p rofusion scores. The most frequent functional impairment was the obstr uctive pattern, followed by restrictive and mixed patterns. After adju sting for potential confounders, the presence of pleural plaques was s ignificantly associated with a mixed respiratory pattern of impairment (OR = 3.7, 95% CI 1.3-12.3). Furthermore, our data were consistent wi th a weak association between pleural plaques and a predominately rest rictive defect (OR-1.3, 95% CI 0.4-3.9). This study also suggested an association between minimally detectable profusions and both obstructi ve (OR = 1.9, 95% CI 0.6-6.3) and mixed (OR = 1.6, 95% CI 0.3-7.1) def ects. Although only 631 of a potential 7,649 active and retired union members participated in this first-time survey and were relatively you ng, these findings add new evidence to the functional importance of pl eural fibrosis and minimal parenchymal fibrosis. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.