Occupational exposure to fluoro-edenite and prevalence of anti-nuclear autoantibodies

Our plain-English summary of Occupational exposure to fluoro-edenite and prevalence of anti-nuclear autoantibodies, by V. Rapisarda, C. Loreto, S. Castorina, et al (Future Oncology, 2018).

The study

• Authors: V. Rapisarda, C. Loreto, S. Castorina, G. Romano, S.F. Garozzo, A. Musumeci, M. Migliore, R. Avola, D. Cinà, C. Pomara, C. Ledda
• Journal: Future Oncology
• Published: 2018;14(6s):59-62
• Cited by: 10 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher

Abstract

An environmental contamination due to an asbestiform mineral fiber, fluoro-edenite (FE), caused a significantly increased mortality rate for malignant mesothelioma in Biancavilla, Italy. Exposure to fluoro-edenite has been associated with inflammatory processes as an early response to inhaled fibers. The aim was to explore prevalence of anti-nuclear autoantibodies (ANA) in a group of construction workers residing and working in the contaminated area. Prevalences for samples positive to ANA were 60% (n = 9) and 13% (n = 2), for exposed and nonexposed, respectively (p-value <0.05), the odds ratio was 9.75 (95% CI: 1.59-59.69). The significance of elevated ANAs in subjects exposed to fibers is unknown; additional studies may provide a better opportunity to establish a correlation between autoimmunity and environmental exposure.

In plain English

This was a small study from Biancavilla, a town on Mount Etna in Sicily, Italy. Lava rock from a local quarry there contained an asbestos-like mineral fiber called fluoro-edenite and had been used for building houses and roads. The authors compared 15 male construction workers who lived and worked in Biancavilla with 15 workers who lived and worked at least 40 km away. The groups were reported as similar in age, smoking and body mass index, and no worker showed signs or symptoms of illness. All had chest CT scans and blood tests for anti-nuclear autoantibodies (ANA), antibodies linked to autoimmune diseases. ANA were found in 9 exposed workers (60%) and 2 unexposed workers (13%), an odds ratio of 9.75 (95% CI 1.59 to 59.69). Pleural plaques were seen in 10 exposed workers (printed as 73%) and 4 unexposed workers (27%), an odds ratio of 5.50 (95% CI 1.15 to 26.41). The authors concluded that the meaning of raised ANA in fiber-exposed people is unknown, and that more studies are needed to establish any link between autoimmunity and fiber exposure.

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 exposed and nonexposed workers
• Who was studied: 30 male construction workers chosen within periodic occupational surveillance: 15 living and working in Biancavilla, Sicily, Italy (exposed) and 15 living and working at least 40 km away (nonexposed). The groups were reported as similar in age, smoking and BMI.
• Exposure: Environmental and occupational exposure to fluoro-edenite (FE), an asbestiform mineral fiber found in lava rock from a local quarry. The article describes FE as similar in size and shape to the amphibole asbestos fibers antophyllite, actinolite and tremolite. Exposed workers had a reported exposure duration of 14.72 plus or minus 7.3 years. People with previous exposure to asbestos were excluded.
• Main results:
  • ANA-positive blood samples: 60% (n = 9) in exposed workers and 13% (n = 2) in nonexposed workers
  • Odds ratio for ANA positivity in exposed versus nonexposed workers: 9.75 (95% CI 1.59 to 59.69), p less than 0.05
  • CT scans showed pleural plaques in 10 exposed workers (printed as 73%) and 4 nonexposed workers (27%), odds ratio 5.50 (95% CI 1.15 to 26.41). Parenchymal abnormalities were found in 2 exposed workers (13%) and 0 nonexposed workers (0%).
  • Routine blood test values were within the normal range, with no significant difference between the groups (data not shown)
  • No worker in either group showed any sign or symptom of illness on medical check
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that the significance of elevated ANA in fiber-exposed subjects is unknown, and that additional studies may make it possible to establish a correlation between autoimmunity and environmental exposure to fibers.

Topics

The National Library of Medicine indexes this study under subjects our site covers: Lung cancer, Mesothelioma.

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Occupational Exposure, fluoro-edenite, Asbestiform, Mineral Fiber, Malignant Mesothelioma, Biancavilla, P-Value, Odds Ratio.

Related studies

• Prevalence of anti-nuclear autoantibodies in subjects exposed to natural asbestiform fibers: a cross-sectional study — C. Ledda, R. Caltabiano, et al. (2018)
• Fibulin-3 immunoexpression in malignant mesothelioma due to fluoro-edenite: a preliminary report — R. Caltabiano, C. Loreto, et al. (2018)
• Early effects of fluoro-edenite: correlation between IL-18 serum levels and pleural and parenchymal abnormalities — C. Ledda, C. Loreto, et al. (2016)
• Mesothelial cell and anti-nuclear autoantibodies associated with pleural abnormalities in an asbestos exposed population of Libby MT — L.S. Marchand, S. St-Hilaire, et al. (2012)
• Angiogenesis correlates with macrophage and mast cell infiltration in lung tissue of animals exposed to fluoro-edenite fibers — G. Musumeci, C. Loreto, et al. (2016)
• Immunohistochemical Expression of Aquaporin-1 in Fluoro-Edenite-Induced Malignant Mesothelioma: A Preliminary Report — G. Angelico, R. Caltabiano, et al. (2018)

Browse more research in Future Oncology, or return to medical research.