Determination of Asbestos Bodies in Bronchoalveolar
Lavage Fluids in Thailand
Pimpin Incharoen MD*, Viboon Boonsarngsuk MD**,
Katawut Sanitthangkul MD*, Chariya Laohavich MA**,
Vorachai Sirikulchayanonta MD**, Somchai Bovornkitti MD***
Affiliation :
* Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
** Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital,
Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
*** The Academy of Science, The Royal Institute, Bangkok, Thailand
Objective : Asbestos bodies (AB), ferroprotein-coated asbestos fiber, may be present in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF)
of asbestos exposed persons. The present study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence and number of asbestos bodies
in the BALF of tenable asbestos exposed workers compare to general population in Thailand.
Material and Method: Thirty workers of cement pipe and roof tile factories using chrysotile asbestos and 30 unexposed
patients that underwent diagnostic bronchoscopy were included in this study. Determination of asbestos bodies was made
by membrane filtration method as described in earlier reports.
Results : The findings were positive in six workers and in one control subject (0.1-3.6 vs. 0.2 AB/ml of BALF, p = 0.449).
Conclusion : AB was identified in workers more often than in pulmonary disease patient. Two of workers had more than
1 AB/ml of BALF.
Keywords : Asbestos, Asbestos bodies, Bronchoalveolar lavage, Lung fluid
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