Een recente ecologische studie laat een verband zien tussen het historische asbestgebruik en het aantal mensen dat aan een asbestziekte overlijdt, in het bijzonder mesothelioom. De onderzoekers berekenden de gemiddelde asbestconsumptie in 33 landen voor de periode 1960 tot 1969 en vergeleken deze gegevens met het aantal sterfgevallen door mesothelioom en asbestose in de periode 2000-2004. Nederland behoort tot de landen met een relatief hoog aandeel asbestslachtoffers met mesothelioom in relatie tot de omvang van het asbestgebruik. Ecologische studies zijn studies die hele bevolkingen vergelijken op basis van groepsdeterminanten. Bron: Lin RT, et al. (2007). Ecological association between asbestos-related diseases and historical asbestos consumption: an international analysis. Lancet, mar 10.369(9564):844-9.
Lin RT, et al. (2007). Ecological association between asbestos-related diseases and historical asbestos consumption: an international analysis. Lancet, mar 10.369(9564):844-9.

Summary

Background The potential for a global epidemic of asbestos-related diseases is a growing concern. Our aim was to assess the ecological association between national death rates from diseases associated with asbestos and historical consumption of asbestos.

Methods We calculated, for all countries with data, yearly age-adjusted mortality rates by sex (deaths per million population per year) for each disease associated with asbestos (pleural, peritoneal, and all mesothelioma, and asbestosis) in 2000-04 and mean per head asbestos consumption (kg per person per year) in 1960-69. We regressed death rates for the specified diseases against historical asbestos consumption, weighted by the size of sex-specific national populations.

Findings Historical asbestos consumption was a significant predictor of death for all mesothelioma in both sexes (adjusted R-=0-74, p<0-0001, 2-4-fold [95% CI 2-0-2-9] mortality increase was predicted per unit consumption increase for men. 0-58, p<0-0001, and 1-6-fold [1-4-1-9] mortality increase was predicted for women). for pleural mesothelioma in men (0-29, p=0-0015, 1-8-fold [1-3-2-5]). for peritoneal mesothelioma in both sexes (0-54, p<0-0001, 2-2-fold [1-6-9] for men, 035, p=00008, and 14-fold for women [12-1-6]). and for asbestosis in men (0-79, p<0-0001, 2-7-fold [2--2-3-4]). Linear regression lines consistently had intercepts near zero. Interpretation Within the constraints of an ecological study, clear and plausible associations were shown between deaths from the studied diseases and historical asbestos consumption, especially for all mesothelioma in both sexes and asbestosis in men. Our data strongly support the recommendation that all countries should move towards eliminating use of asbestos.