A study of dose-response relationships for asbestos associated disease.

The risk of an asbestos worker developing small irregular opacities on the chest radiograph is related to cumulative exposure to asbestos dust, latency, and smoking habit. In this study the use of residence-time weighted exposure as a "dose metric" was explored in a cohort of asbestos cement workers. It was found that this parameter, which incorporates both exposure concentration and latency, is useful for modelling the risk of small opacities and might also be useful for modelling the risk of mesothelioma.