Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The STEP trials

A round-up of the STEP phase 3 clinical trials evaluating semaglutide for weight loss in people with overweight or obesity.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2010

Open Access 01-12-2010 | Research article

Long-term follow-up of beryllium sensitized workers from a single employer

Authors: Mona Duggal, David C Deubner, Anne M Curtis, Mark R Cullen

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2010

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Up to 12% of beryllium-exposed American workers would test positive on beryllium lymphocyte proliferation test (BeLPT) screening, but the implications of sensitization remain uncertain.

Methods

Seventy two current and former employees of a beryllium manufacturer, including 22 with pathologic changes of chronic beryllium disease (CBD), and 50 without, with a confirmed positive test were followed-up for 7.4 +/-3.1 years.

Results

Beyond predicted effects of aging, flow rates and lung volumes changed little from baseline, while DLCO dropped 17.4% of predicted on average. Despite this group decline, only 8 subjects (11.1%) demonstrated physiologic or radiologic abnormalities typical of CBD. Other than baseline status, no clinical or laboratory feature distinguished those who clinically manifested CBD at follow-up from those who did not.

Conclusions

The clinical outlook remains favorable for beryllium-sensitized individuals over the first 5-12 years. However, declines in DLCO may presage further and more serious clinical manifestations in the future. These conclusions are tempered by the possibility of selection bias and other study limitations.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Literature
1.
Rossman MD, Kern JA, Elias JA, Cullen MR, Epstein PE, Preuss OP, Markham TN, Daniele RP: Proliferative response of bronchoalveolar lymphocytes to beryllium. A test for chronic beryllium disease. Ann Intern Med. 1988, 108: 687-693.CrossRefPubMed
2.
Cullen MR, Kominsky JR, Rossman MD, Cherniack MG, Rankin JA, Balmes JR, Kern JA, Daniele RP, Palmer L, Naegel GP, McManus K, Cruz R: Chronic beryllium disease in a precious metal refinery. Clinical epidemiologic and immunologic evidence for continuing risk from exposure to low level beryllium fume. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1987, 135: 201-208.PubMed
3.
Kreiss K, Newman LS, Mroz MM, Campbell PA: Screening blood test identifies subclinical beryllium disease. J Occup Med. 1989, 31: 603-608. 10.1097/00043764-198907000-00011.CrossRefPubMed
4.
Kreiss K, Mroz MM, Zhen B, Martyny JW, Newman LS: Epidemiology of beryllium sensitization and disease in nuclear workers. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1993, 148: 985-991.CrossRefPubMed
5.
Kreiss K, Wasserman S, Mroz MM, Newman LS: Beryllium disease screening in the ceramics industry. Blood lymphocyte test performance and exposure-disease relations. J Occup Med. 1993, 35: 267-274.PubMed
6.
Henneberger PK, Cumro D, Deubner DD, Kent MS, McCawley M, Kreiss K: Beryllium sensitization and disease among long-term and short-term workers in aberyllium ceramics plant. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2001, 74: 167-176. 10.1007/s004200100237.CrossRefPubMed
7.
Maier LA: Beryllium health effects in the era of the beryllium lymphocyte proliferation test. Appl Occup Environ Hyg. 2001, 16: 514-520. 10.1080/104732201750169570.CrossRefPubMed
8.
Schuler CR, Kent MS, Deubner DC, Berakis MT, McCawley M, Henneberger PK, Rossman MD, Kreiss K: Process-related risk of beryllium sensitization and disease in a copper-beryllium alloy facility. Am J Ind Med. 2005, 47: 195-205. 10.1002/ajim.20140.CrossRefPubMed
9.
Newman LS, Mroz MM, Schumacher B, Daniloff E, Kreiss K: Beryllium sensitization precedes chronic beryllium disease. Am Rev Resp Dis. 1992, 142 (suppl): A324-
10.
Saltini C, Amicosante M, Franchi A, Lombardi G, Richeldi L: Immunogenetic basis of environmental lung disease lessons from the berylliosis model. Eur Respir J. 1998, 12: 1463-1475. 10.1183/09031936.98.12061463.CrossRefPubMed
11.
Kreiss K, Miller F, Newman LS, Ojo-Amaize EA, Rossman MD, Saltini C: Chronic beryllium disease--from the workplace to cellular immunology, molecular immunogenetics, and back. Clin Immunol Immunopathol. 1994, 71: 123-129. 10.1006/clin.1994.1061.CrossRefPubMed
12.
Newman LS, Lloyd J, Daniloff E: The natural history of beryllium sensitization and chronic beryllium disease. Environ Health Perspect. 1996, 104 (Suppl 5): 937-943. 10.2307/3433014.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
13.
Markham TN: Screening for chronic beryllium disease using beryllium specific lymphocyte proliferation testing. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 1996, 68: 405-407. 10.1007/BF00377860.CrossRefPubMed
14.
Rosenman K, Hertzberg V, Rice C, Reilly MJ, Aronchick J, Parker JE, Regovich J, Rossman M: Chronic beryllium disease and sensitization at a beryllium processing facility. Environ Health Perspect. 2005, 113: 1366-1372.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
15.
Henneberger PK, Goe SK, Miller WE, Doney B, Groce DW: Industries in the United States with airborne beryllium exposure and estimates of the number of current workers potentially exposed. J Occup Environ Hyg. 2004, 1: 648-659. 10.1080/15459620490502233.CrossRefPubMed
16.
Cullen MR, Cherniack MG, Kominsky JR: Chronic beryllium disease in the United States. Semin in Respir Med. 1986, 7: 203-9. 10.1055/s-2007-1012616.CrossRef
17.
Maier LA, Newman LS: Beryllium disease. Environmental and occupational medicine. Edited by: Rom WN. 1998, Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott-Raven, 1017-1035.
18.
Newman LS, Mroz MM, Balkissoon R, Maier LA: Beryllium sensitization progresses to chronic beryllium disease: a longitudinal study of disease risk. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2005, 171: 54-60. 10.1164/rccm.200402-190OC.CrossRefPubMed
19.
Cullen MR: Screening for chronic beryllium disease: one hurdle down, two to go. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2005, 171: 3-4. 10.1164/rccm.2409003.CrossRefPubMed
20.
Donovan EP, Kolanz ME, Galbraith DA, Chapman PS, Paustenbach DJ: Performance of the beryllium blood lymphocyte proliferation test based on a long-term occupational surveillance program. Arch Occup Environ Health. 2007, 81: 165-78. 10.1007/s00420-007-0202-3.CrossRef
21.
American Thoracic Society: Standardization of spirometry. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1995, 152: 1107-36.CrossRef
22.
American Thoracic Society: Single breath carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (transfer factor): recommendations for a standard technique. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1995, 152: 2185-98.CrossRef
23.
Knudson RJ, Lebowitz MD, Holberg CJ, Burrows B: Changes in the normal maximal expiratory flow-volume curve with growth and aging. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1983, 127: 725-734.PubMed
24.
Crapo RO, Morris AH: Standardized single breath normal values for carbon monoxide diffusing capacity. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1981, 123: 185-189.PubMed
25.
Aronchick JM, Rossman MD, Miller WT: Chronic beryllium disease: diagnosis, radiographic findings, and correlation with pulmonary function tests. Radiology. 1987, 163: 677-682.CrossRefPubMed
26.
Deubner DC, Goodman M, Iannuzzi J: Variability, predictive value, and uses of the beryllium blood lymphocyte proliferation test (BLPT): preliminary analysis of the ongoing workforce survey. Appl Occup Environ Hyg. 2001, 16: 521-526. 10.1080/104732201750169598.CrossRefPubMed
27.
Stange AW, Furman FJ, Hilmas DE: The beryllium lymphocyte proliferation test: Relevant issues in beryllium health surveillance. Am J Ind Med. 2004, 46: 453-462. 10.1002/ajim.20082.CrossRefPubMed
Metadata
Title
Long-term follow-up of beryllium sensitized workers from a single employer
Authors
Mona Duggal
David C Deubner
Anne M Curtis
Mark R Cullen
Publication date
01-12-2010
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2010
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-10-5

Other articles of this Issue 1/2010

BMC Public Health 1/2010 Go to the issue

Research article

Impact of the Family Health Program on the quality of vital information and reduction of child unattended deaths in Brazil: an ecological longitudinal study

Research article

Nutrient intakes of rural Tibetan mothers: a cross-sectional survey

Research article

Barriers and facilitators of adherence to TB treatment in patients on concomitant TB and HIV treatment: a qualitative study

Research article

Emotional, behavioural problems and cigarette smoking in adolescence: findings of a Greek cross-sectional study

Research article

Blood pressure, body mass index and risk of cardiovascular disease in Chinese men and women

Research article

Parents' beliefs about appropriate infant size, growth and feeding behaviour: implications for the prevention of childhood obesity