[Evaluation of serum fibrosis markers in asbestos-exposed workers]

The usefulness of serum fibrosis markers to evaluate asbestos exposure was investigated. Subjects who underwent chest CT in screening for asbestos-exposed workers were divided in two groups, with or without pleural plaque findings, and they were compared in terms of serum fibrosis markers (Type IV collagen, Type III procollagen-N-peptide, Hyaluronic acid, KL-6, SP-D, SP-A). 8 younger cases, a case with elevated AST and a case with asbestosis of all the 43 cases who underwent chest CT were excluded. The remaining 33 cases were divided into on group of 17 cases with pleural plaque (plaque group) and the group of 16 cases without pleural plaque (normal group). Serum level of Type IV collagen in the plaque group was significantly higher than in the normal group (162 +/- 35 vs. 121 +/- 22, P < 0.01), and the mean was higher than the cut-off value (< or = 140 ng/ml). This result suggests that higher serum level of type IV collagen predicts the presence of pleural plaque. Though chest X-ray is inferior to CT in the detection of pleural plaque, result can be expected to improve by additional evaluation of serum level of Type IV collagen.