| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2016 | Volume
: 20
| Issue : 2 | Page : 95-102 |
Asbestos-induced lung disease in small-scale clutch manufacturing workers
Dipti Gothi1, Tanushree Gahlot2, Ram B Sah1, Mayank Saxena1, UC Ojha3, Anand K Verma4, Sonam Spalgais1
1 Department of Pulmonary Medicine, ESI-PGIMSR, New Delhi, India
2 Institute of Occupational Health and Environment Research, New Delhi, India
3 Department of Pathology, ESI-PGIMSR, New Delhi, India
4 Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Lady Harding Medical College, New Delhi, India
Correspondence Address:
Dipti Gothi
Department of Pulmonary Medicine, ESI PGIMSR, New Delhi
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0019-5278.197533
Background: The crocidolite variety of asbestos is banned. However, chrysotile, which is not prohibited, is still used in developing countries in making products such as clutch plate. Fourteen workers from a small-scale clutch plate-manufacturing factory were analyzed for asbestos-induced lung disease as one of their colleagues had expired due to asbestosis. Aims: This study was conducted to evaluate the awareness of workers, the prevalence and type of asbestos-induced lung disease, and the sensitivity and specificity of diffusion test. Materials and Methods: History, examination, chest radiograph, spirometry with diffusion, and high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) thorax was performed in all the workers. The diagnosis of asbestos-induced lung disease was suspected on the basis of HRCT. This was subsequently confirmed on transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB). Results: None of the workers had detailed information about asbestos and its ill effects. Eleven out of 14 (71.42%) workers had asbestos-induced lung disease. All 11 had small airway disease (SAD). Three had SAD alone, 6 had additional interstitial lung disease (ILD), and 2 patients had additional ILD and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Sensitivity and specificity of residual volume (RV) or total lung capacity (TLC) for detecting SAD was 90% and 100%, respectively, and that of diffusion capacity of lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) for detecting ILD was 100%. Conclusion: The awareness about asbestos in small-scale clutch-plate manufacturing industry is poor. The usage of chrysotile should be strictly regulated as morbidity and mortality is high. DLCO and RV/TLC are sensitive and specific in detecting nonmalignant asbestos induced lung disease.
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