Comorbidities and Causes of Death of Patients With Asbestosis

Eerika Keskitalo; Johanna Salonen; Hanna Nurmi; Hannu Vähänikkilä; Riitta Kaarteenaho

doi:10.1097/JOM.0000000000002777

Comorbidities and Causes of Death of Patients With Asbestosis

J Occup Environ Med. 2023 Apr 1;65(4):349-353. doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000002777. Epub 2022 Dec 23.

Authors

Eerika Keskitalo¹, Johanna Salonen, Hanna Nurmi, Hannu Vähänikkilä, Riitta Kaarteenaho

Affiliation

¹ From the ResearchUnit of InternalMedicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland (E.K., J.S., R.K.); Center of Internal and Respiratory Medicine, Medical Research Center (MRC) Oulu, Oulu, Finland (E.K., J.S., R.K.); Division of Respiratory Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland (H.N.); Center of Medicine and Clinical Research, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland (H.N.); Northern Finland Birth Cohorts, Arctic Biobank, Infrastructure for Population studies, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland (H.V.).

PMID: 36728947
DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000002777

Abstract

Objective: Comorbidities are common and affect the prognosis of patients with interstitial lung diseases, but few previous studies have investigated patients with asbestosis.

Methods: We collected comorbidities and death causes of 116 patients with asbestosis treated in Oulu University Hospital. Causes of death were confirmed by autopsy in 68% of the cases.

Results: The most common comorbidities of asbestosis patients were pleural plaques (96%) and coronary artery disease (CAD; 67%). The prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis was 8.6%. The most common underlying causes of death were asbestosis (36%), CAD (24%), and lung cancer (LC) (10%). CAD and LC were associated with shorter survival in adjusted analyses.

Conclusions: Patients with asbestosis have multiple comorbidities. Prevention and treatment of CAD and LC may influence the prognosis of asbestosis patients.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Asbestos* / adverse effects
Asbestosis* / epidemiology
Cause of Death
Comorbidity
Humans
Lung Neoplasms*
Pleural Diseases* / etiology

Substances

Asbestos