Exposure to insulating materials and risk of coronary artery diseases: a cross-sectional study

Although previous reports link exposure to insulating materials with an increased risk of mesothelioma and chronic respiratory diseases, studies evaluating their associations with the risk of coronary artery diseases (CAD) are lacking.

We aimed at evaluating the associations between exposure to insulating materials and the 10-year risk of CAD among insulators.

In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 643 adults (≥18 years), full-time insulators from the Local 110 Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Union in Edmonton, Alberta. We obtained demographic information, personal and family history, and job-exposure history, including experience (years) and types of exposure to insulating materials. Clinical profiling including Framingham risk scores (FRS) was assessed.

Of all insulators, 89% were men (mean ± SD age: 47 ± 12 years), 27% had a parental history of cardiac diseases, and 22% had a comorbid chronic respiratory disease. In total, 53% reported exposure to asbestos, while 61, 82, and 94% reported exposure to ceramic fibers, fiberglass, and mineral fibers, respectively. In single-exposure multivariable regression models adjusted for experience, marital status, and body mass index (BMI), asbestos was found to be associated with higher FRS (β: 1.004; 95%CI: 0.003-2.00). The association remained consistent in multi-exposure models and a higher association was found between asbestos exposure and FRS among insulators with comorbid chronic respiratory disease.

Our study demonstrates that apart from cancer and chronic respiratory diseases, asbestos exposure may also have a cardiac effect, thus warranting the need for systematic surveillance to protect workers from the adverse effects of these materials.