Vinikoor Lisa C, Larson Theodore C, Bateson Thomas F, Birnbaum Linda
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, USA.
Environ Health Perspect. 2010 Jul;118(7):1033-28. doi: 10.1289/ehp.0901680. Epub 2010 Mar 12.
Libby, Montana, was home to the largest vermiculite ore mine in the United States. The processing, use, and transport of the ore, which was contaminated with amphibole asbestos, led to generalized contamination of the community. The mine closed in 1990.
We examined the prevalence of respiratory symptoms in 2000-2001 and their association with history of vermiculite exposure among people who were < or = 18 years of age when the mine closed.
Information on respiratory symptoms and exposure history was collected by questionnaire in 2000-2001, at which time participants were 10-29 years old. Logistic regression was used to model the associations between exposures and outcomes adjusted for age, sex, and tobacco smoke exposure.
Of the 1,003 individuals included in the study, 10.8% reported usually having a cough, 14.5% reported experiencing shortness of breath when walking up a slight hill or hurrying on level ground, and 5.9% reported having coughed up bloody phlegm in the past year. These respiratory symptoms were positively associated with frequently handling vermiculite insulation compared with never handling vermiculite insulation. We found no association between vermiculite insulation in the house and respiratory symptoms. Respiratory symptoms were associated with other vermiculite exposures as well, and the number and frequency of these activities showed a positive trend with usually having a cough. We found no association between any of the activities and abnormal spirometry.
These data suggest that residents of Libby, Montana, who were children when the mine closed experienced some respiratory symptoms associated with asbestos-contaminated vermiculite exposure.
蒙大拿州的利比是美国最大的蛭石矿所在地。该矿石被闪石石棉污染，其加工、使用和运输导致了社区的普遍污染。该矿于1990年关闭。
我们调查了2000 - 2001年18岁及以下人群（即矿山关闭时年龄≤18岁的人群）的呼吸道症状患病率及其与蛭石接触史的关联。
2000 - 2001年通过问卷调查收集呼吸道症状和接触史信息，此时参与者年龄为10 - 29岁。采用逻辑回归模型分析暴露与结局之间的关联，并对年龄、性别和烟草烟雾暴露进行了调整。
在纳入研究的1003名个体中，10.8%的人报告通常咳嗽，14.5%的人报告在走上小坡或在平地上快走时出现气短，5.9%的人报告在过去一年中有咯血痰。与从未接触过蛭石隔热材料相比，这些呼吸道症状与频繁接触蛭石隔热材料呈正相关。我们发现家中的蛭石隔热材料与呼吸道症状之间没有关联。呼吸道症状也与其他蛭石接触有关，这些活动的数量和频率与通常咳嗽呈正相关趋势。我们发现任何活动与肺功能异常之间均无关联。
这些数据表明，蒙大拿州利比市的居民在矿山关闭时还是儿童，他们经历了一些与石棉污染的蛭石接触相关的呼吸道症状。
