An Unusual Case Report of Asbestos-Related Visceral Pleural Plaques
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Asbestos, a group of minerals known for their fibrous structure and heat- resistant properties, has been widely used in construction and automotive industries. Predominantly derived from chrysotile and amphiboles such as amosite and crocidolite, asbestos is associated with significant health risks due to exposure to airborne fibers, particularly during construction and demolition. Asbestos can cause both malignant and non-malignant chest diseases, including conditions such as pleural effusion, pleural plaques, asbestosis, lung cancer, and malignant mesothelioma. Even though asbestos has been in use in Thailand for over 70 years, only a limited number of asbestos-related disease (ARD) cases have been officially reported. The authors present an unusual case of asbestos-related visceral pleural plaques in a resort owner, likely exposed during the demolition of old houses. Additionally, the present study aims to raise awareness of the ongoing hazards posed by asbestos and to call for stronger asbestos regulation and controls to prevent future ARD cases.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licence, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
References
Vicari K, Ribeiro IM, Aguiar BF, et al. Occupational characterization of workers exposed to asbestos: an integrative review. Rev Bras Med Trab. 2022;20(4):650-8. doi: 10.47626/1679-4435-2022-733.
Collegium Ramazzini. Asbestos is still with us: repeat call for a universal ban. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2010;23: 201-7. doi: 10.2478/v10001-010-0017-4.
McCormack V, Peto J, Byrnes G, et al. Estimating the asbestos-related lung cancer burden from mesothelioma mortality. Br J Cancer. 2012;106(3):575–84. doi: 10.1038/ bjc.2011.563.
Hein MJ, Stayner LT, Lehman E, et al. Follow-up study of chrysotile textile workers: cohort mortality and exposure-response. Occup Environ Med. 2007;64(9):616– 25. doi: 10.1136/oem.2006.031005.
Thai Customs, Imported asbestos statistics. [Internet]. 2024 (Accessed October 16, 2024, at http://www.customs.go.th/ statistic_report.php)
Buranatrevedh S, Sithisarunkul P, Dumavibhat N, et al. Revision of National Health Assembly Resolution: Thailand’s Asbestos Ban Measures. J Health Syst Resear 2020; 14(1): 10-18.
Roggli VL, Gibbs AR, Attanoos R,et al. Pathology of asbestosis- An update of the diagnostic criteria: Report of the asbestosis committee of the college of american pathologists and pulmonary pathology society. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2010 ;134(3):462–80. doi: 10.5858/134.3.462.
ILO International Classification of Radiographs of Pneumoconioses | International Labour Organization [Internet]. 2023 (Accessed October 16, 2024, at https://www.ilo.org/ resource/ilo-international-classification-radiographs-pneumoconioses-1).
Kusaka Y, Hering KG, Parker JE. International classification of HRCT for occupational and environmental respiratory diseases: pleural diseases: Springer Verlag Tokyo; 2005: 73-92.
Le GV, Takahashi K, Karjalainen A, et al. National Use of Asbestos in Relation to Economic Development. Environ Health Perspect. 2009;118(1):116-9. doi: 10.1289/ ehp.0901196
LaDou J. The asbestos cancer epidemic. Environ Health Perspect. 2004 ;112(3):285–90. doi: 10.1289/ehp.6704
O’Reilly KM, McLaughlin AM, Beckett WS, et al. Asbestos-related lung disease.Am Fam Physician. 2007;75(5):683-8
Cugell DW, Kamp DW. Asbestos and the pleura: a review. Chest. 2004;125(3):1103–17. doi: 10.1378/chest.125.3.1103.
Chapman SJ, Cookson WOC, Musk AW, et al. Benign asbestos pleural diseases. Curr Opin Pulm Med. 2003; 9(4): 266–71. doi: 10.1097/00063198-200307000-00004.
Roach HD, Davies GJ, Attanoos R, et al. Asbestos: when the dust settles-an imaging review of asbestos-related disease. Radiographics. 2002; 22(1): 167–84. doi: 10.1148/radiographics.22.suppl_1.g02oc10s167.
Tomashefski JF, Cagle PT, Farver CF, et al. Dail and Hammar’s pulmonary pathology: Volume I : Nonneoplastic lung disease 3rd edition. Asbestos. Springer Science Business Media. 2008: 950-1032.
Gevenois PA, de Maertelaer V, Madani A, et al. Asbestosis, pleural plaques and diffuse pleural thickening: three distinct benign responses to asbestos exposure. Eur Respir J. 1998;11(5):1021–7. doi: 10.1183/09031936.98.11051021.
Ministry of Public Health. The Occupational Diseases and Environmental Diseases Control Act B.E. 2562 (A.D. 2019) [Internet]. 2019. (Accessed October 16, 2024, at https://ddc. moph.go.th/uploads/files/14120220209073708.pdf)