Enfisema y tabaquismo en pacientes con exposición laboral al amianto

Objective: To study the association between the smoking degree and the appearance of emphysema in patients with a history of asbestos exposure in our region. Material and methods: Patients included in the screening program of asbestos exposure are reviewed, including both tobacco exposure and thoracic CT studies of patients valuated between June 2012 and August 2013, recording both their status as non-smokers, former and current smokers, as well as their accumulated smoking rate (when applicable). Patients were classified according to the presence of paraseptal, centrolobulillar or diffuse emphysema in imaging studies. Results: A total of 55 patients were included. A statistically significant difference (p = 0.006) was found at cumulative smoking data in number of patients with paraseptal emphysema compared to patients without emphysema (55.60 ± 28.25 packages/year versus 28.19 ± 23.25 packages/ year). Conclusions: Tobacco consumers exposed to asbestos present more often paraseptal emphysema than those non-smokers exposed to asbestos.