Cardiopulmonary function studies in workers dealing with asbestos and glasswool

Our plain-English summary of Cardiopulmonary function studies in workers dealing with asbestos and glasswool, by J. Bjure, B. Soederholm, J. Widimsky (Thorax, 1964).

The study

• Authors: J. Bjure, B. Soederholm, J. Widimsky
• Journal: Thorax
• Published: 1964;19(1):22-7
• Cited by: 16 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher · Free full text
• In J-M's library: Johns-Manville's company medical library held a copy (J-M no. 001551).

In plain English

This 1964 study from Goteborg, Sweden, compared heart and lung function in 14 male insulation workers who volunteered. Eight men (group A) had spent at least half their working time exposed to asbestos dust, and all had chest X-rays suggesting asbestosis. Six men (group B) had prolonged glasswool and rockwool exposure and normal X-rays, with minimal or no asbestos exposure except one man earlier moderately exposed. Tests included breathing tests, bicycle exercise testing and heart catheterization. Group B had normal lung function tests; one of them had ECG signs suggestive of right ventricular hypertrophy but normal pulmonary artery pressure. Group A showed marked restriction on lung tests, vital capacity averaging 76% of predicted, and reduced diffusing capacity, without signs of airway obstruction. Pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance differed significantly between groups. Three of the eight asbestos-exposed men had abnormally raised pulmonary artery pressure at rest or during light exercise. Exercise capacity was comparable. The authors concluded that glasswool and rockwool caused no significant impairment but similar asbestos exposure did, while noting that asbestos exposure in group B could not be excluded.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: Cross-sectional comparison of lung and heart function (spirometry, diffusing capacity, exercise testing, ECG, heart catheterization) in two small groups of insulation workers
• Who was studied: 14 male insulation workers who volunteered as part of a general survey. Group A was 8 asbestos-exposed men with chest radiographs suggesting asbestosis; two of them complained of cough and breathlessness on exertion. Group B was 6 men exposed to glasswool and rockwool with normal physical findings and radiographs. The authors' department was in Goteborg, Sweden. Study dates are not given.
• Exposure: Group A: asbestos dust (fiber type not specified) for at least 50% of employment time. Group B: prolonged exposure to glasswool and rockwool dust with only minimal exposure to asbestos dust, though Table I records no asbestos exposure for some men and earlier moderate asbestos exposure for one (subject 5). Exposure was assessed from employment records.
• Main results:
  • On the pulmonary function tests (Table II), the glasswool and rockwool group (group B) showed completely normal values.
  • One man in group B (subject 5) had earlier been moderately exposed to asbestos, with no asbestos exposure in the most recent 15 years.
  • The asbestos group (group A) showed marked restriction on dynamic lung function tests and a reduced diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide.
  • In group A, vital capacity averaged 76% of the predicted normal value.
  • Group A showed no signs of increased airway resistance.
  • Physical performance on the bicycle test was comparable in the two groups.
  • Average pulmonary artery pressure in group A was not definitely raised for the whole group. However, the difference in pulmonary artery pressure between the groups was significant, as was the difference in pulmonary vascular resistance.
  • Three of the eight asbestos-exposed men had pathologically increased pulmonary artery pressure at rest and/or during light exercise.
  • Six of the eight men in group A had both a reduced diffusing capacity and an increased pulmonary vascular resistance.
  • Among the blood-gas measurements, the groups differed significantly only in arterial oxygen tension and in the alveolo-arterial oxygen tension difference. Average arterial oxygen tension was 86 mm Hg in group A and 102 mm Hg in group B.
  • On ECG, one subject in group B showed signs suggestive of right ventricular hypertrophy, but his pulmonary artery pressure was normal.
  • In group A, two subjects had the ECG pattern of right ventricular hypertrophy and three others had signs suggestive only of it.
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that even prolonged exposure to glasswool and rockwool did not cause significant impairment of heart and lung function, whereas similar exposure to asbestos did, even in men who were symptom-free and fit for work.
• Limitations the authors state:
  • Exposure to asbestos dust could not be excluded in the glasswool group.
  • Asbestosis can occur without changes on X-ray, so the findings in group B should be judged with caution.

Topics

The National Library of Medicine indexes this study under subjects our site covers: Asbestosis.

Related studies

• Lung function predicts mortality: 10-year follow-up after lung cancer screening among asbestos-exposed workers — T. Vehmas, P. Pallasaho, et al. (2013)
• Relationship between chest X-ray findings and pulmonary function tests in dust workers — Y. Tonori, M. Niitsuya, et al. (2005)
• Decline in annual lung function in workers exposed to asbestos with and without pre-existing fibrotic changes on chest radiography — T. Nakadate (1995)
• Comparative quantitative evaluation of pleural fibrosis and its effects on pulmonary function in two large asbestos-exposed occupational groups--insulators and sheet metal workers — R. Lilis, A. Miller, et al. (1992)
• Pulmonary response of mice to fiberglass: cytokinetic and biochemical studies — I.Y. Adamson, H. Prieditis, et al. (1995)
• The effect of asbestos-induced pleural fibrosis on pulmonary function: quantitative evaluation — R. Lilis, A. Miller, et al. (1991)

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