Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25790222›Full record

Observational studyPloS one2015

Screening of miners and millers at decreasing levels of asbestos exposure: comparison of chest radiography and thin-section computed tomography.

Mario Terra-Filho, Ericson Bagatin, Luiz Eduardo Nery, Lara Maris Nápolis, José Alberto Neder, Gustavo de Souza Portes Meirelles, C Isabela Silva, Nestor L Muller

Open access · goldAbstract readComparative StudyObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in PloS one, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
2.4field-weighted citation impact, top 11% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 14 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 5 institutions in 2 countries.

Mario Terra-FilhoPulmonary Division, Heart Institute, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Ericson BagatinOccupational Health Area, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculdade de Medicina de Jundiaí, Jundiaí, São Paulo, Brazil.
Luiz Eduardo NeryRespiratory Division, Department of Medicine, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Lara Maris NápolisRespiratory Division, Department of Medicine, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
José Alberto NederRespiratory Division, Department of Medicine, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Gustavo de Souza Portes MeirellesRadiology Division, Department of Radiology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Radiology Division, Fleury Group, São Paulo, Brazil.
C Isabela SilvaDepartment of Radiology, Delfin Clinic and Portuguese Hospital, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
Nestor L MullerDepartment of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada.
Universidade Federal de São Paulo · BRFaculdade de Medicina de Jundiaí · BRFleury S.A. (Brazil) · BRHospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo · BRUniversity of British Columbia · CA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundChest radiography (CXR) is inferior to Thin-section computed tomography in the detection of asbestos related interstitial and pleural abnormalities. It remains unclear, however, whether these limitations are large enough to impair CXR´s ability in detecting the expected reduction in the frequency of these asbestos-related abnormalities (ARA) as exposure decreases.

methodsClinical evaluation, CXR, Thin-section CT and spirometry were obtained in 1418 miners and millers who were exposed to progressively lower airborne concentrations of asbestos. They were separated into four groups according to the type, period and measurements of exposure and/or procedures for controlling exposure: Group I (1940-1966/tremolite and chrysotile, without measurements of exposure and procedures for controlling exposure); Group II (1967-1976/chrysotile only, without measurements of exposure and procedures for controlling exposure); Group III (1977-1980/chrysotile only, initiated measurements of exposure and procedures for controlling exposure) and Group IV (after 1981/chrysotile only, implemented measurements of exposure and a comprehensive procedures for controlling exposure).

resultsIn all groups, CXR suggested more frequently interstitial abnormalities and less frequently pleural plaques than observed on Thin-section CT (p<0.050). The odds for asbestosis in groups of decreasing exposure diminished to greater extent at Thin-section CT than on CXR. Lung function was reduced in subjects who had pleural plaques evident only on Thin-section CT (p<0.050). In a longitudinal evaluation of 301 subjects without interstitial and pleural abnormalities on CXR and Thin-section CT in a previous evaluation, only Thin-section CT indicated that these ARA reduced as exposure decreased.

conclusionsCXR compared to Thin-section CT was associated with false-positives for interstitial abnormalities and false-negatives for pleural plaques, regardless of the intensity of asbestos exposure. Also, CXR led to a substantial misinformation of the effects of the progressively lower asbestos concentrations in the occurrence of asbestos-related diseases in miners and millers.

Indexed as

Asbestos, AmphiboleAsbestos, SerpentineBrazilCross-Sectional StudiesFalse Positive ReactionsHumansLongitudinal StudiesMass ScreeningMicrotomyMiningOccupational ExposureRadiography, ThoracicSpirometryTomography, X-Ray ComputedAsbestos, AmphiboleAsbestos, Serpentinetremolite

Identifiers

PMID25790222
PMCPMC4366170
OpenAlexW2089011914

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.