Cardiopulmonary Function Studies in Workers Dealing with Asbestos and Glasswool.

Pulmonary fibrosis is thought to be a common complication of exposure to asbestos dust. The inhaled asbestos fibres are supposedly not transported by the pulmonary lymphatics, and thus one single massive exposure might lead to the same stage of fibrosis as a prolonged but less intense exposure. This industrial hazard has led to the search for substitutes for asbestos in insulation work, and at present glasswool and rockwool are often used. The fragmentation of these materials may give rise to fibre particles which can be inhaled and deposited in the alveoli. The possible effect on cardiopulmonary function in a group of men doing insulation work, with prolonged exposure to glasswool and rockwool dust, is the subject of the present paper, and a similarly exposed group of asbestos workers was studied for comparison.