A follow-up study of 162 men already working as insulators (laggers) in 1940 has been extended from 1965 to 1975. By the end of 1975 there were 40 survivors when 108 had been expected. Until 1965 there had been an overall excess of deaths; these were due to asbestosis with or without tuberculosis and to alimentary cancer, as well as to bronchial carcinoma and mesothelioma. From 1965 onwards the...

Pulmonary function was measured in 79 men with diaphragmatic pleural plaques (DPP) as the only abnormality characteristic of asbestos disease on chest radiographs. They were selected from 4572 construction and shipyard workers exposed to asbestos. Abnormalities of pulmonary function in 21 non-smokers and 43 current smokers were compared with referent values adjusted for height, age, and duratio...

We read with interest the recent article by Navaratnam et al highlighting the unexplained rising incidence of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in the UK. While we agree that this area is of great clinical interest, we feel that the rapidly rising incidence, linked with the gender, age, geographical and socioeconomic risk factors for this disease, is strongly suggestive that the cause is not ...