Schins R P, Lamers R J, Préat B, Borm P J
Department of Health Risk Analysis and Toxicology, University of Limburg, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 1995;66(6):413-9. doi: 10.1007/BF00383149.
Serum type III procollagen peptide (PIIIP), a degradation product of the type III collagen precursor, has been put forward as an exposure marker for mineral dust. We evaluated PIIIP levels as a marker of exposure to and effects of coal dust in retired coal miners (n = 104). To this end: (a) the individual cumulative dust exposure was calculated from job-exposure matrices, and (b) in addition to routine chest radiography (CR) of all miners according to the criteria of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), a subgroup (n = 46) was screened by high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT). Profusion score (CR and HRCT) tended to increase with cumulative dust exposure, even in the absence of CR evidence for pneumoconiosis (i.e. CR < or = 0/1, n = 35). In contrast to our previous findings in active miners, PIIIP levels were not increased in miners as compared with non-dust-exposed controls (n = 29), and no differences were observed between miners without (ILO = 0/0) and miners with coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP; ILO > or = 0/1). No trend in PIIIP versus pneumoconiosis stage was present, either by CR or by the more sensitive HRCT score. PIIIP was also unrelated to any lung function parameter (FEV1, FVC, impedance, diffusion capacity). Age, medication, medical history and smoking habits had no significant effect on PIIIP levels. In the miners with CWP (i.e. ILO > 0/0, n = 28) a significant negative correlation was present between PIIIP values and (log) cumulative dust exposure. This decrease in serum PIIIP levels with increasing cumulative exposure may be due to chronic adaptive changes in type III collagen deposition and/or breakdown. Other relations between exposure and PIIIP were not observed. In conclusion, the present findings do not support the use of serum type III procollagen peptide as a marker of exposure to and (early) interstitial or respiratory effects of coal dust.
血清III型前胶原肽（PIIIP）是III型胶原前体的降解产物，已被提出作为矿物粉尘暴露的标志物。我们评估了PIIIP水平，将其作为退休煤矿工人（n = 104）接触煤尘及其影响的标志物。为此：（a）根据工作接触矩阵计算个体累积粉尘暴露量，（b）除了按照国际劳工组织（ILO）标准对所有矿工进行常规胸部X线摄影（CR）外，还对一个亚组（n = 46）进行了高分辨率计算机断层扫描（HRCT）筛查。即使在没有尘肺病CR证据的情况下（即CR≤0/1，n = 35），肺野密集度评分（CR和HRCT）也倾向于随累积粉尘暴露量增加而升高。与我们之前对在职矿工的研究结果相反，与未接触粉尘的对照组（n = 29）相比，矿工的PIIIP水平没有升高，在无尘肺病（ILO = 0/0）的矿工和患有煤工尘肺（CWP；ILO≥0/1）的矿工之间也未观察到差异。无论是通过CR还是更敏感的HRCT评分，PIIIP与尘肺病阶段均无趋势关系。PIIIP也与任何肺功能参数（第一秒用力呼气容积、用力肺活量、阻抗、弥散能力）无关。年龄、用药情况、病史和吸烟习惯对PIIIP水平均无显著影响。在患有CWP的矿工中（即ILO>0/0，n = 28），PIIIP值与（对数）累积粉尘暴露量之间存在显著负相关。随着累积暴露量增加血清PIIIP水平下降可能是由于III型胶原沉积和/或分解的慢性适应性变化。未观察到暴露与PIIIP之间的其他关系。总之，目前的研究结果不支持将血清III型前胶原肽用作煤尘暴露及其（早期）间质或呼吸影响的标志物。
