Abstract
Objective: To determine the rate and affecting factors of asbestos-related diseases (ARD) in the villages close to ophiolitic units in the rural of Sivas, central Anatolia in Turkey.
Methods: Volunteers (age>35, >20 years resident) from villages close to ophiolitic units and from villages >20 km distant to ophiolitic units as control group were included. Chest X-rays and questionnaire for demographical data and respiratory symptoms were performed. A geological map was used to measure the distance between ophiolitic units and villages. Samples were taken from houses and soil sources and analyzed for asbestos with X-ray diffraction.
Results: 2987 volunteers (1148 male, 1839 female) from 48 villages close to ophiolitic units and 157 (91 male, 66 female) volunteers from 6 villages far to ophiolitic units were included. Mean age of study and control groups were 55.2 and 57.3 respectively. 292 patients (3 malignant mesothelioma, 289 pleural plaque) with ARD were identified from villages close to ophiolitic units. No ARD was identified in control group. Factors affecting ARD risk were male sex (OR:3.1,p=0.00), advanced age (OR:1.05 for every year of age,p=0.00), residency close to ophiolitic units (for each 1 km 12% increase) and, decrease in BMI (for each 1 unit 3.6% increase) in multivariate logistic regression analysis. Serpentine was found in samples of villages close to ophiolitic units, no asbestos was found in control villages.
Conclusion: ARD rate is high in residents close to ophiolitic units in rural Sivas. Factors associated with ARD development were advanced age, male sex and living close to ophiolitic units.
- © 2011 ERS
