the total number of fibers/per gram wet lung in the plaque group ( 114 x 10 ( 3 ) ) was similar to that in the control group ( 99 x 10 ( 3 ) , as was the number of chrysotile fibers ( 51 x 10 ( 3 ) versus 29 x 10 ( 3 ) ) . however , the plaque patients had a marked increase in the number of the commercially used high aspect ratio amphiboles , amosite and crocidolite ( 50 x 10 ( 3 ) versus 1 x 10 ( 3 ) . a retrospective history of fairly certain asbestos exposure was obtained for 16 of the plaque patients , and such a history correlated strongly with increased numbers of commercial amphiboles in lung . it is concluded that 1 ) in this general autopsy population , two subgroups of patients are present . about one half of the patients appear to have developed pleural plaques as a result of asbestos exposure , while the etiology of the plaques in the other half is unclear ; 2 ) the presence of pleural plaques correlates with a modest ( 50-fold ) increase in numbers of long high-aspect ratio commercial amphiboles in lung tissue but does not correlate with numbers of chrysotile fibers , noncommercial amphiboles , or the total number of asbestos fibers ;
C0024109
lung
C0819757
lung