Patologia per amiant a la comarca del Vallès Occidental (Barcelona)

[cat] INTRODUCCIÓ: L’amiant o asbest es un mineral que ha estat molt utilitzat per la industria de l’estat espanyol durant el segle XX, la inhalació d’aquest silicat pot provocar patologia pleuropulmonar a Cerdanyola del Vallès, comarca del Vallès Occidental de la província de Barcelona es va instal·lar i va estar en funcionament durant 90 anys la major fabrica del país de fibrociment, del que l’amiant és un dels principals components. OBJECTIU: L’objectiu principal ha estat valorar si l’activitat industrial d’aquesta fàbrica de fibrociment ha condicionat l’estat de salut de les poblacions properes. Altres objectius han estat elaborar un protocol d’estudi que fos d’utilitat per a futurs treballs i contribuir a establir els factors determinants de la distribució dels mesoteliomes pleurals d’origen ambiental en aquesta comarca. MÈTODE: Aquesta memòria de tesi s’estructura mitjançant l’anàlisi de dos articles prèviament publicats en revistes científiques indexades. RESULTATS: En la primera publicació s’ha posat de manifest que davant de la presencia d’un focus emissor de fibres d’amiant que actua com agent contaminador, la distància i els factors meteorològics locals són els determinants de la distribució dels pacients afectats de mesotelioma pleural d’origen ambiental. En la segona publicació cal significar què es presenta un protocol d’estudi de les patologies per amiant i que aquest, constitueix una eina per aprofundir en la investigació d’aquestes afeccions. CONCLUSIONS: La conclusió general és que els resultats exposats confirmen la hipòtesi global de que l’activitat de la fàbrica de fibrociment ha condicionat l’estat de salut dels habitants de la comarca, no tant sols dels treballadors de la factoria sinó també dels convivents amb treballadors i també dels ciutadans que residien a prop de la mateixa. En aquest últim grup de exposats les conclusions han estat què la distancia del seu domicili al focus emissor i les característiques dels vents locals (direcció i intensitat) tenen un marcat impacte en el risc de desenvolupar un mesotelioma d’origen ambiental. Del segon article la conclusió es de que ara disposem d’un protocol d’estudi científic què és podrà utilitzar per a futurs treballs de investigació.[eng] INTRODUCTION; Asbestos or asbestos is a mineral that has been widely used by industry in Spain during the 20th century, the inhalation of this silicate can cause pleuropulmonary disease in Cerdanyola del Vallès, the region of the Vallès Occidental in the province of Barcelona It was installed and was operating for 90 years the largest factory in the country of cement, of which asbestos is one of the main components. OBJECTIVE: The main objective was to assess whether the industrial activity of this fibrocement factory has conditioned the health status of nearby populations. Other objectives have been to elaborate a study protocol that would be useful for future work and contribute to establishing the determinants of the distribution of pleural mesotheliomas of environmental origin in this region. METHOD: This thesis report is structured through the analysis of two articles previously published in indexed scientific journals. RESULTS: In the first publication it has been shown that in view of the presence of an asbestos-emitting spotlight that acts as a contaminating agent, distance and local weather factors are the determinants of the distribution of affected patients of pleural mesothelioma of environmental origin. In the second publication, it is necessary to indicate what is presented as a protocol for the study of pathologies for asbestos, and that this is a tool to deepen in the investigation of these conditions. CONCLUSIONS: The general conclusion is that the results shown confirm the global hypothesis that the activity of the fibrocement factory has conditioned the state of health of the inhabitants of the region, not only of the workers of the factory but also of the coexistence with workers and also of the citizens who resided near it. In the latter group of exposures, the conclusions have been that the distance from home to the emitting focus and the characteristics of local winds (direction and intensity) have a marked impact on the risk of developing mesothelioma of environmental origin. From the second article, the conclusion is that we now have a scientific study protocol which can be used for future research work

Malignant asbestos‐related disease in a population exposed to asbestos

Abstract Objectives: The first asbestos fiber cement plant in Spain operated in Cerdanyola, in the Barcelona metropolitan area, between 1907 and 1997. We describe clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients diagnosed with the malignant asbestosrelated disease (ARD) in the area of the plant between 2007 and 2016. Methods: A prospective, descriptive study was undertaken in the 12 municipalities of the county of Barcelona most proximate to the plant. We describe malignant ARD cases by time of diagnosis, source of exposure, periods of exposure and latency, and distribution by sex. Cumulative incidence and age‐standardized incidence rates (ASIR) are calculated. Results: Of 477 patients diagnosed with ARD between 2007 and 2016, 128 (26%) presented with asbestos‐associated malignancy. Pleural mesothelioma was noted in 105 patients (82.0%) with a linear trend Z‐score of −0.2 (NS) in men and 2.7 (P < .01) in women. The highest ASIRs for malignant ARD (6.1/100 000 residents/year; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.2‐13.3) and pleural mesothelioma (4.8/100 000 residents/ year; 95% CI, 1.5‐11.6) occurred in municipalities closest to the focal point of contamination. The origin of malignant ARD was nonoccupational in 32.2% of men and 81.6% of women (P < .001). Conclusions: More than 20 years after the closure of the fiber cement plant, the grave consequences of exposure to asbestos remain. The detection of cases of pleural mesothelioma in men seems to have plateaued whereas in women an ascending trend continues, which principally has its origin in nonoccupational exposures

Risk factors of mortality from all asbestos-related diseases: A competing risk analysis.

Background. The mortality from all malignant and nonmalignant asbestos-related diseases remains unknown. The authors assessed the incidence and risk factors for all asbestos-related deaths. Methods. The sample included 544 patients from an asbestos-exposed community in the area of Barcelona (Spain), between Jan 1, 1970, and Dec 31, 2006. Competing risk regression through a subdistribution hazard analysis was used to estimate risk factors for the outcomes. Results. Asbestos-related deaths were observed in 167 (30.7%) patients and 57.5% of these deaths were caused by some type of mesothelioma. The incidence rate after diagnosis was 3,600 per 100,000 person-years. In 7.5% of patients death was non-asbestos-related, while pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma were identified in 87 (16.0%) and 18 (3.3%) patients, respectively. Conclusions. Age, sex, household exposure, cumulative nonmalignant asbestos-related disease, and single malignant pathology were identified as risk factors for asbestos-related death. These findings suggest the need to develop a preventive approach to the community and to improve the clinical follow-up process of these patients

Patologia per amiant a la comarca del Vallès Occidental (Barcelona)

INTRODUCCIÓ: L’amiant o asbest es un mineral que ha estat molt utilitzat per la industria de l’estat espanyol durant el segle XX, la inhalació d’aquest silicat pot provocar patologia pleuropulmonar a Cerdanyola del Vallès, comarca del Vallès Occidental de la província de Barcelona es va instal·lar i va estar en funcionament durant 90 anys la major fabrica del país de fibrociment, del que l’amiant és un dels principals components. OBJECTIU: L’objectiu principal ha estat valorar si l’activitat industrial d’aquesta fàbrica de fibrociment ha condicionat l’estat de salut de les poblacions properes. Altres objectius han estat elaborar un protocol d’estudi que fos d’utilitat per a futurs treballs i contribuir a establir els factors determinants de la distribució dels mesoteliomes pleurals d’origen ambiental en aquesta comarca. MÈTODE: Aquesta memòria de tesi s’estructura mitjançant l’anàlisi de dos articles prèviament publicats en revistes científiques indexades. RESULTATS: En la primera publicació s’ha posat de manifest que davant de la presencia d’un focus emissor de fibres d’amiant que actua com agent contaminador, la distància i els factors meteorològics locals són els determinants de la distribució dels pacients afectats de mesotelioma pleural d’origen ambiental. En la segona publicació cal significar què es presenta un protocol d’estudi de les patologies per amiant i que aquest, constitueix una eina per aprofundir en la investigació d’aquestes afeccions. CONCLUSIONS: La conclusió general és que els resultats exposats confirmen la hipòtesi global de que l’activitat de la fàbrica de fibrociment ha condicionat l’estat de salut dels habitants de la comarca, no tant sols dels treballadors de la factoria sinó també dels convivents amb treballadors i també dels ciutadans que residien a prop de la mateixa. En aquest últim grup de exposats les conclusions han estat què la distancia del seu domicili al focus emissor i les característiques dels vents locals (direcció i intensitat) tenen un marcat impacte en el risc de desenvolupar un mesotelioma d’origen ambiental. Del segon article la conclusió es de que ara disposem d’un protocol d’estudi científic què és podrà utilitzar per a futurs treballs de investigació.INTRODUCTION; Asbestos or asbestos is a mineral that has been widely used by industry in Spain during the 20th century, the inhalation of this silicate can cause pleuropulmonary disease in Cerdanyola del Vallès, the region of the Vallès Occidental in the province of Barcelona It was installed and was operating for 90 years the largest factory in the country of cement, of which asbestos is one of the main components. OBJECTIVE: The main objective was to assess whether the industrial activity of this fibrocement factory has conditioned the health status of nearby populations. Other objectives have been to elaborate a study protocol that would be useful for future work and contribute to establishing the determinants of the distribution of pleural mesotheliomas of environmental origin in this region. METHOD: This thesis report is structured through the analysis of two articles previously published in indexed scientific journals. RESULTS: In the first publication it has been shown that in view of the presence of an asbestos-emitting spotlight that acts as a contaminating agent, distance and local weather factors are the determinants of the distribution of affected patients of pleural mesothelioma of environmental origin. In the second publication, it is necessary to indicate what is presented as a protocol for the study of pathologies for asbestos, and that this is a tool to deepen in the investigation of these conditions. CONCLUSIONS: The general conclusion is that the results shown confirm the global hypothesis that the activity of the fibrocement factory has conditioned the state of health of the inhabitants of the region, not only of the workers of the factory but also of the coexistence with workers and also of the citizens who resided near it. In the latter group of exposures, the conclusions have been that the distance from home to the emitting focus and the characteristics of local winds (direction and intensity) have a marked impact on the risk of developing mesothelioma of environmental origin. From the second article, the conclusion is that we now have a scientific study protocol which can be used for future research work

Risk factors associated with asbestos-related diseases: a community-based case-control study

Abstract Background: Asbestos is a first level carcinogen. However, few epidemiological studies analyse the risk and protective factors associated with asbestos-related diseases and follow up these conditions in the general population. Pleural mesothelioma, caused by inhalation of asbestos fibres at work, at home or in the environment, is the most representative asbestos-related disease. The objectives of this study are to analyse the risk and protective factors associated with asbestos-related diseases and to investigate the incidence of new clinical manifestations in patients already diagnosed with some form of ARD. Methods/Design: We have designed a matched case-control study with follow up of both cohorts from a population of a health district of the Barcelona province that has been exposed to asbestos for a period of 90 years. Discussion: A better understanding of asbestos-related diseases should improve i) the clinical and epidemiological follow up of patients with this condition; ii) the design of new treatment strategies; iii) and the development of preventive activities. At the end of the study, the two cohorts created in this study (affected cases and healthy controls) will constitute the basis for future research

Risk factors associated with asbestos-related diseases: a community-based case-control study

Abstract Background: Asbestos is a first level carcinogen. However, few epidemiological studies analyse the risk and protective factors associated with asbestos-related diseases and follow up these conditions in the general population. Pleural mesothelioma, caused by inhalation of asbestos fibres at work, at home or in the environment, is the most representative asbestos-related disease. The objectives of this study are to analyse the risk and protective factors associated with asbestos-related diseases and to investigate the incidence of new clinical manifestations in patients already diagnosed with some form of ARD. Methods/Design: We have designed a matched case-control study with follow up of both cohorts from a population of a health district of the Barcelona province that has been exposed to asbestos for a period of 90 years. Discussion: A better understanding of asbestos-related diseases should improve i) the clinical and epidemiological follow up of patients with this condition; ii) the design of new treatment strategies; iii) and the development of preventive activities. At the end of the study, the two cohorts created in this study (affected cases and healthy controls) will constitute the basis for future research