kaolinite and Respiratory-Tract-Diseases

Report mortality (n = 1119), cancer incidence (n = 1207) and radiographic (n = 1451) findings from a 30-year investigation of current and former refractory ceramic fiber (RCF) workers.. Cause of death, health and work histories, radiographs and spirometry were collected. Mortality and cancer incidence were analyzed. Logistic regression analysis investigated the associations of latency and cumulative fiber exposure (CFE) on radiographic changes.. The mortality study showed no increase in standardized mortality rates (SMR) for lung cancer, but urinary cancers were significantly elevated in the higher exposed group (SMR = 3.62, 95% CI: 1.33-7.88) and leukemia in the total cohort (SMR = 2.51, 95% CI: 1.08-4.94). One death attributed to mesothelioma was identified (SMR = 2.86, 95% CI: 0.07-15.93) in a worker reporting some asbestos exposure. The overall rate of pleural changes was 6.1%, attaining 21.4% in the highest CFE category for all subjects (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 6.9, 95% CI: 3.6-13.4), and 13.0% for those with no reported asbestos exposure (OR= 9.1, 95% CI: 2.5-33.6). Prevalence for recent hires (≥1985) was similar to the background. Interstitial changes were not elevated. Localized pleural thickening was associated with small decreases in spirometry results.. Increases in leukemia and urinary cancer but not lung cancer mortality were found. One death attributed to mesothelioma was observed in a worker with self-reported asbestos exposure and a work history where occupational asbestos exposure may have occurred, rendering uncertainties in assigning causation. Radiographic analyses indicated RCF exposure alone is associated with increased pleural but not interstitial changes. Reductions in RCF exposure should continue. The mortality study is ongoing.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Female; Humans; Kaolin; Male; Middle Aged; Mineral Fibers; Neoplasms; Occupational Exposure; Odds Ratio; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Risk Factors; Young Adult

The authors evaluated structure and level of respiratory morbidity among refractories production workers, being a subject to dust factor intensity. The suggestion is a method of mathematical analysis to study an algorithm "dust factor--transitory disablement morbidity" and to specify an adequate mathematic simulator.

Topics: Aged; Catchment Area, Health; Dust; Female; Humans; Industry; Kaolin; Male; Middle Aged; Mineral Fibers; Occupational Diseases; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Russia

We studied the prevalence of ventilatory impairment, chest symptoms, and radiographic abnormality in a selected sample of more than 2,000 kaolin workers from east central Georgia. The presence of ventilatory impairment was related to the presence of complicated pneumoconiosis, employment in clay calcining, and cigarette smoking. In those working with calcined clay, there was an increased prevalence of abnormality of the FEV1, but not the FVC, when compared to both wet and dry processors and which could not be explained by either cigarette smoking or the presence of pneumoconiosis. The magnitude of abnormality in the calcined clay workers was, however, unlikely to lead to disabling impairment. In workers with more than 3-yr tenure, there were 90 subjects with simple pneumoconiosis and 18 with complicated pneumoconiosis, yielding an adjusted prevalence of 3.2% and 0.63%, respectively, in the sample examined. Dry processing was associated with a greater risk of developing pneumoconiosis than wet processing.

Topics: Adult; Dust; Forced Expiratory Volume; Humans; Kaolin; Lung; Male; Pneumoconiosis; Radiography, Thoracic; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Vital Capacity