Asbestos-Related Diseases in a Population Near a Fibrous Cement Factory

Tarrés, Josep; Abós-Herràndiz, Rafael; Albertí, Constança; Martínez-Artés, Xavier; Rosell-Murphy, Magdalena; García-Allas, Isabel; Krier, Illona; Castro, Emilia; Cantarell, Gloria; Gallego, Miguel; Orriols, Ramon

doi:10.1016/S1579-2129(09)73485-8

Archivos de Bronconeumología

ISSN: 0300-2896

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Vol. 45. Issue 9.

Pages 429-434 (September 2009)

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Pages 429-434 (September 2009)

Original Article

DOI: 10.1016/S1579-2129(09)73485-8

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Asbestos-Related Diseases in a Population Near a Fibrous Cement Factory

Enfermedad por amianto en una población `próxima a una fábrica de fibrocemento

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Josep Tarrésa,

Corresponding author

7893jto@comb.es

Corresponding author.

, Rafael Abós-Herràndizb, Constança Albertíc, Xavier Martínez-Artésd, Magdalena Rosell-Murphye,f, Isabel García-Allasg, Illona Krierb, Emilia Castroh, Gloria Cantarelli, Miguel Gallegoi, Ramon Orriolsk,l

a EAP Canaletas, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain

b EAP Ripollet, Ripollet, Barcelona, Spain

c Institut Català d’Avaluacions Mèdiques, Barcelona, Spain

d EAP Serraparera, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain

e IDIAP Jordi Gol, Barcelona, Spain

f Servei d’Atenció Primària Cerdanyola-Ripollet, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain

g EAP Barberà, Barberà del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain

h EAP Badia, Badia del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain

i Servei de Medicina Interna, Corporació Sanitària Parc Taulí, Sabadell, Barcelona, Spain

k Servei de Pneumologia, Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, Barcelona, Spain

l CIBER de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CibeRes), Barcelona, Spain

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Abstract

Background and Objective

The first fibrous cement factory in Spain was set up in Cerdanyola, Barcelona, in 1907 and was a source of pollution there until it was closed in 1997. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of the population with asbestos-related diseases who had worked in the factory and/or lived in the vicinity.

Material and Methods

We retrospectively collected information available on patients with asbestos-related diseases who at the time of diagnosis had resided in the area near the fibrous cement factory. Information was obtained from the medical records of the primary care centers of the 12 surrounding towns and the sole referral hospital in the area for cases diagnosed between January 1, 1970 and December 31, 2006.

Results

In the 559 patients diagnosed, 1107 cases of asbestos-related diseases were identified. Between 2000 and 2006, the average annual incidence was 9.5 cases per 100 000 inhabitants for the entire study area and 35.5 cases per 100 000 for the area nearest the factory. The prevalence of asbestos-related diseases as of December 31, 2006 was 91 cases per 100 000 inhabitants in the entire study area and 353.4 cases per 100 000 in the area nearest the factory. Of the 1107 asbestos-related disease cases identified, 86.5% were benign and 8.4% pleural mesothelioma.

Conclusions

The factory introduced an important area-wide risk factor for asbestos-related diseases for both workers and the nearby population. The number of cases detected annually showed an upward trend and the incidence of asbestos-related diseases was extremely high.

Keywords:

Asbestos

Incidence

Prevalence

Asbestosis

Pleural disease

Mesothelioma

Environmental disease

Resumen

Introducción

En 1907 se instaló en Cerdanyola (Barcelona) la primera fábrica de fibrocemento de España, que actuó como foco contaminante hasta su cierre en 1997. El objetivo del estudio ha sido conocer las características clinicoepidemiológicas de la población afectada por enfermedades relacionadas con el amianto (ERA) que había trabajado o/y vivía en el entorno de esta fábrica.

Material y métodos

Se trata de un estudio retrospectivo que reúne la información disponible de los pacientes afectados de ERA que residían en el momento del diagnóstico en la zona cercana a la factoría de fibrocemento. La información se obtuvo a partir de la documentación médica de los centros de atención primaria de las 12 poblaciones circundantes y del único hospital de referencia de la zona, para los casos diagnosticados entre el 1 de enero de 1970 y el 31 de diciembre de 2006.

Resultados

En los 559 pacientes diagnosticados se identificaron 1.107 casos de ERA. La incidencia anual media entre 2000 y 2006 fue de 9,5 pacientes por 100.000 habitantes para toda la zona, y de 35,5 para la más próxima a la fábrica. La prevalencia de pacientes con ERA a fecha de 31 de diciembre de 2006 fue de 91 por 100.000 personas en toda la zona y de 353,4 en la más próxima a la fábrica. De los 1.107 casos, el 86,5% correspondía a enfermedad benigna y el 8,4% a mesotelioma pleural.

Conclusiones

En la zona estudiada, la fábrica supuso un factor de riesgo importante de ERA para sus trabajadores y la población cercana. La detección de casos mostró una tendencia ascendente. La incidencia de ERA fue muy elevada.

Palabras clave:

Asbesto

Incidencia

Prevalencia

Asbestosis

Enfermedad pleural

Mesotelioma

Enfermedad ambiental

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