Skip to main content
NCBI home page
British Journal of Industrial Medicine logoLink to British Journal of Industrial Medicine
. 1991 Nov;48(11):762–770. doi: 10.1136/oem.48.11.762

Fibre distribution in the lungs and pleura of subjects with asbestos related diffuse pleural fibrosis.

A R Gibbs 1, M Stephens 1, D M Griffiths 1, B J Blight 1, F D Pooley 1
PMCID: PMC1035451  PMID: 1659443

Abstract

The lungs from 13 cases of diffuse pleural fibrosis associated with a history of exposure to asbestos were examined. Samples were taken from the visceral pleura and central and subpleural zones of the lungs for histopathological and mineralogical studies. The fibre type, size, and number were estimated for each of these regions by transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive x ray analysis. Amphibole fibre counts were raised when compared with a non-occupationally exposed group and matched those seen in cases of pleural plaques, mild asbestosis, and mesothelioma. A wide case to case variation of distribution was seen. No significant difference was apparent between central and subpleural zones, whereas low asbestos counts were found in the pleura; these were mainly short chrysotile fibres. Within the lungs more (45%) of the longer (greater than 4 microns) and thinner (less than 0.25 micron) amphibole fibres were retained in keeping with other studies implicating such fibre profiles in the pathogenesis of asbestos related disease.

Full text

PDF
762

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Churg A. Asbestos fibers and pleural plaques in a general autopsy population. Am J Pathol. 1982 Oct;109(1):88–96. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Churg A. Fiber counting and analysis in the diagnosis of asbestos-related disease. Hum Pathol. 1982 Apr;13(4):381–392. doi: 10.1016/s0046-8177(82)80227-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Churg A., Warnock M. L. Asbestos fibers in the general population. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1980 Nov;122(5):669–678. doi: 10.1164/arrd.1980.122.5.669. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Churg A., Wiggs B. Accumulation of long asbestos fibers in the peripheral upper lobe in cases of malignant mesothelioma. Am J Ind Med. 1987;11(5):563–569. doi: 10.1002/ajim.4700110508. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Churg A., Wood P. Observations on the distribution of asbestos fibers in human lungs. Environ Res. 1983 Aug;31(2):374–380. doi: 10.1016/0013-9351(83)90015-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Davies D. Asbestos related diseases without asbestosis. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1983 Jul 16;287(6386):164–165. doi: 10.1136/bmj.287.6386.164. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Davis J. M. The pathology of asbestos related disease. Thorax. 1984 Nov;39(11):801–808. doi: 10.1136/thx.39.11.801. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Gibbs A. R. Role of asbestos and other fibres in the development of diffuse malignant mesothelioma. Thorax. 1990 Sep;45(9):649–654. doi: 10.1136/thx.45.9.649. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Herbert A. Pathogenesis of pleurisy, pleural fibrosis, and mesothelial proliferation. Thorax. 1986 Mar;41(3):176–189. doi: 10.1136/thx.41.3.176. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Hillerdal G. Pleural changes and exposure to fibrous minerals. Scand J Work Environ Health. 1984 Dec;10(6 Spec No):473–479. doi: 10.5271/sjweh.2320. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Jones J. S., Pooley F. D., Clark N. J., Owen W. G., Roberts G. H., Smith P. G., Wagner J. C., Berry G., Pollock D. J. The pathology and mineral content of lungs in cases of mesothelioma in the United Kingdom in 1976. IARC Sci Publ. 1980;(30):187–199. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Lange A. An epidemiological survey of immunological abnormalities in asbestos workers. I. Nonorgan and organ-specific autoantibodies. Environ Res. 1980 Jun;22(1):162–175. doi: 10.1016/0013-9351(80)90128-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Lange A. An epidemiological survey of immunological abnormalities in asbestos workers. II. Serum immunoglobulin levels. Environ Res. 1980 Jun;22(1):176–183. doi: 10.1016/0013-9351(80)90129-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Lee K. P., Kelly D. P., Kennedy G. L., Jr Pulmonary response to inhaled Kevlar aramid synthetic fibers in rats. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 1983 Nov;71(2):242–253. doi: 10.1016/0041-008x(83)90341-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Lee K. P. Lung response to particulates with emphasis on asbestos and other fibrous dusts. Crit Rev Toxicol. 1985;14(1):33–86. doi: 10.3109/10408448509023764. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Morgan A., Holmes A. Concentrations and dimensions of coated and uncoated asbestos fibres in the human lung. Br J Ind Med. 1980 Feb;37(1):25–32. doi: 10.1136/oem.37.1.25. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Morgan A., Holmes A. The distribution and characteristics of asbestos fibers in the lungs of Finnish anthophyllite mine-workers. Environ Res. 1984 Feb;33(1):62–75. doi: 10.1016/0013-9351(84)90009-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Morgan A., Talbot R. J., Holmes A. Significance of fibre length in the clearance of asbestos fibres from the lung. Br J Ind Med. 1978 May;35(2):146–153. doi: 10.1136/oem.35.2.146. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Pooley F. D., Clark N. J. Quantitative assessment of inorganic fibrous particulates in dust samples with an analytical transmission electron microscope. Ann Occup Hyg. 1979;22(3):253–271. doi: 10.1093/annhyg/22.3.253. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Sebastien P., Janson X., Gaudichet A., Hirsch A., Bignon J. Asbestos retention in human respiratory tissues: comparative measurements in lung parenchyma and in parietal pleura. IARC Sci Publ. 1980;(30):237–246. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Stanton M. F., Layard M., Tegeris A., Miller E., May M., Morgan E., Smith A. Relation of particle dimension to carcinogenicity in amphibole asbestoses and other fibrous minerals. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1981 Nov;67(5):965–975. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Stephens M., Gibbs A. R., Pooley F. D., Wagner J. C. Asbestos induced diffuse pleural fibrosis: pathology and mineralogy. Thorax. 1987 Aug;42(8):583–588. doi: 10.1136/thx.42.8.583. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Timbrell V. Deposition and retention of fibres in the human lung. Ann Occup Hyg. 1982;26(1-4):347–369. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Wagner J. C., Moncrieff C. B., Coles R., Griffiths D. M., Munday D. E. Correlation between fibre content of the lungs and disease in naval dockyard workers. Br J Ind Med. 1986 Jun;43(6):391–395. doi: 10.1136/oem.43.6.391. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Wagner J. C., Pooley F. D., Berry G., Seal R. M., Munday D. E., Morgan J., Clark N. J. A pathological and mineralogical study of asbestos-related deaths in the United Kingdom in 1977. Ann Occup Hyg. 1982;26(1-4):423–431. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Journal of Industrial Medicine are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES