Studio di coorte occupazionale dei lavoratori di una fabbrica di produzione del cemento-amianto in un sito contaminato della Sicilia

OBJECTIVES: to analyse the asbestos-related diseases risk among the former workers of Sacelit asbestos-cement plant, operating in San Filippo del Mela (Sicily: 1958-1993). DESIGN: cohort study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: 228 subjects were employed in Sacelit from 1958 to 1993. Due to the available observa-tion periods, the analyses of the different outcomes were performed for the subjects alive at the beginning of the re-spective follow up periods: mortality (1986-2018) was ana-lysed for 204 subjects (177 men, 27 women), hospitalization (2001-2016) for 164 workers (139 men, 25 women) and the incidence of mesothelioma (1998-2016) was estimated for 178 subjects (153 men, 25 women). MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: mortality (Standardized Mortality Ratio: SMR) and hospitalization (Standardized Hospitalization Ratio: SHR) from specific diseases were ana-lysed. Incidence (Standardized Incidence Ratio: SIR) of meso-thelioma cases was detected, also. SMR (1986-2014), SHR (2001-2016) and SIR (1998-2016), with 95% Confidence In-tervals, were computed with respect to the regional rates, with STATA11. RESULTS: in the men cohort, mortality from lung (17 cases, SMR 2.83) and pleural cancers (5 cases, SMR 30) and from asbestosis (15 cases, SMR 1,930) was in excess. The risk of hospitalization was in excess, in both genders, from lung cancer (men: 6 cases, SHR 4.1; women: 2 cases, SHR 8.6) and asbestosis (men: 17 cases, SHR 1,304; women: 6 cases, SHR 2,455). The incidence of mesothelioma was in excess in men (5 cases, SIR 23.9); no female cases of mesothelioma were observed. CONCLUSIONS: a high occurrence of asbestos-related diseases in the cohort, particularly among men, was observed. The excess of hospitalization from asbestosis and lung cancer was highlighted also in women. The prosecution of the on-going health surveillance plan is particularly appropriated.