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  • Pleural mesothelioma in relation to meteorological conditions and residential distance from an industrial source of asbestos

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Environment
Original article
Pleural mesothelioma in relation to meteorological conditions and residential distance from an industrial source of asbestos
  1. Josep Tarrés1,
  2. Constança Albertí2,
  3. Xavier Martínez-Artés3,
  4. Rafael Abós-Herràndiz4,
  5. Magdalena Rosell-Murphy5,6,
  6. Isabel García-Allas7,
  7. Ilona Krier4,
  8. Gloria Cantarell8,
  9. Miguel Gallego9,
  10. Jaume Canela-Soler10,11,
  11. Ramon Orriols12,13
  1. 1EAP Canaletas, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Institut Català de la Salut, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
  2. 2Institut Català d'Avaluacions Mèdiques i Sanitàries, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
  3. 3EAP Serraparera, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Institut Català de la Salut, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
  4. 4EAP Pinetons, Ripollet, Institut Català de la Salut, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
  5. 5Scientifc Department, IDIAP Jordi Gol, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
  6. 6Servei d'Atenció Primària Cerdanyola-Ripollet, Institut Català de la Salut, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
  7. 7EAP Barberà, Barberà del Vallès, Institut Català de la Salut, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
  8. 8Servei de Medicina Interna, Corporació Sanitària Parc Taulí, Sabadell, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
  9. 9Servei de Pneumologia, Corporació Sanitària ParcTaulí, Sabadell, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
  10. 10Departament de Salut Pública, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
  11. 11Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, USA
  12. 12Servei de Pneumologia, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
  13. 13Ciber de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Instituto Nacional de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
  1. Correspondence to Dr Ramon Orriols, Servei de Pneumologia, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Passeig Vall d'Hebron, 119-129, 08035 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; rorriols{at}vhebron.net

Abstract

Objectives Few studies have focused on pleural mesothelioma and environmental exposure in individuals residing around an industrial source of asbestos. The aim of this study is to determine whether residential distance and wind conditions are related to the risk of developing pleural mesothelioma.

Methods In this retrospective cohort study carried out in an area of Barcelona province (Catalonia, Spain), 24 environmental pleural mesothelioma cases were diagnosed between 2000 and 2009. We calculated the age-standardised incidence rate ratios of developing this disease in the population studied, taking into account the residential distance from the plant. For cases living within a 500-m radius of the plant, the geographical location in relation to the factory was also assessed.

Results The incidence rate of environmental pleural mesothelioma was higher in the population living within 500 m of the plant than in those living in a radius of 500–2000 m and much higher than those living at 2000–10 000 m. The highest incidence rate ratio for pleural mesothelioma (161.9) was found in the southeast quadrant of the 500-m area, coinciding with the predominant wind direction.

Conclusions Residential distance from an industrial source of asbestos and local wind conditions have a considerable impact on the risk of developing environmental pleural mesothelioma.

https://doi.org/10.1136/oemed-2012-101198

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