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Article: Pulmonary function of nonsmoking female asbestos workers without radiographic signs of asbestosis.
- Article from:
- Archives of Environmental Health
- Article date:
- July 1, 1998
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1998 Heldref Publications. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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THERE IS extensive evidence that exposure to asbestos causes pulmonary parenchymal fibrosis, pleural disease, and malignant neoplasms. Recently, attention has been focused on the earlier diagnosis of asbestosis. The chest roentgenogram is generally used for the diagnosis of pneumoconiosis, but in some cases, it has been normal--even in the presence of biopsyproven pulmonary fibrosis.[1] The results of several studies have suggested that physiologic damage may precede radiographic evidence of asbestosis.[2-5] In our previous study, we suggested that exposure to asbestos may produce pulmonary functional impairment that preceeds detectable radiographical changes.[6] ...