[Peripheral airway obstruction in the course of occupational exposure to asbestos].

Typically, the functional abnormalities in individuals exposed to asbestos dust take the form of a pulmonary fibrosis. Recently, several authors have stressed the early existence of small airways obstruction. In the present study, by measurement of closing volume, we have confirmed an obstructive factor in a certain number of exposed subjects, even if they were non-smokers, i.e. had no other apparent reason for small airways disease.