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Do pleural plaques produce symptoms? A brief report.
1Dept of Occupational Medicine, Sahlgrenska sjukhuset, Göteborg, Sweden.
Journal of Occupational Medicine. : Official Publication of the Industrial Medical Association
|April 1, 1988
Summary
Pleural plaques, often found in asbestos-exposed workers, are linked to increased breathlessness (dyspnea) but not chest pain. This suggests underlying lung fibrosis may cause the breathing difficulties.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Radiology
Background:
- Pleural plaques are a common finding in individuals with occupational asbestos exposure.
- The symptomatic impact of pleural plaques on respiratory health requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between pleural plaques and the occurrence of symptoms like thoracic pain and dyspnea in asbestos-exposed workers.
- To explore the relationship between pleural plaques, lung function, and potential underlying fibrotic changes.
Main Methods:
- A questionnaire was administered to asbestos-exposed workers in a health-screening program.
- 130 subjects with pleural plaques were compared to 1,103 control subjects without plaques or radiographic changes.
- Symptom occurrence, lung function, and smoking habits were assessed.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in thoracic pain was observed between subjects with and without pleural plaques.
- Dyspnea was reported more frequently in the pleural plaque group.
- Lower lung function values correlated with reported dyspnea, independent of age or smoking status.
Conclusions:
- Pleural plaques are associated with an increased incidence of dyspnea, not thoracic pain.
- The findings suggest that sub-radiographic pulmonary fibrosis may be the cause of dyspnea in individuals with pleural plaques.
- This highlights the importance of assessing lung function in asbestos-exposed workers with pleural plaques.