Environmental Asbestos-Related Pleural Plaque in Southeast of Turkey

ABSTRACT

It is known that many malignant and benign pleural diseases occur due to environmental exposure to mineral fibers. Calcified pleural plaque (CPP) is an important sign of asbestos exposure on chest radiographic examination. To study the possible change in the prevalence of CPP and diffuse pleural thickening 3 decades after cessation of asbestos exposure. CPP were detected in 29.9% of the villagers; 4.7% had diffuse pleural thickening and 0.7% had asbestosis. The significant variable for CPP and diffuse pleural thickening was age. The youngest villager with CPP was 33 years of age and the prevalence of CPP increased with an increase in age. The reason for our cases with CPP being of advanced age is the discontinuation of asbestos exposure. This finding enables us to suggest that environmental asbestos-related disease will gradually decrease in future decades.

KEYWORDS:

• asbestos
• calcified pleural plaque
• chest x-ray
• environmental exposure
• pleura

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Dr Fesih Azboy and Adil Alp from the Office of TB Control at the Government Health Department at Diyarbakir for their assistance in this investigation.