Open AccessPain and Asbestos Related Pleural Plaques
Author(s) -
Cramond Tess,
Casserly Martine
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
pain medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.893
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1526-4637
pISSN - 1526-2375
DOI - 10.1111/j.1526-4637.2006.00208_5.x
Subject(s) - medicine , chest pain , asbestos , physical examination , incidence (geometry) , medical history , radiology , surgery , materials science , physics , optics , metallurgy
The purpose of the study• To determine the lag time between the exposure to asbestos and the onset of chest pain. • To determine the relationship between the onset of chest pain associated with pleural plaques and the diagnosis of their presence. • To correlate the dermatomal distribution of the pain with the location of the plaques. • To record the incidence of other potential causes of chest pain.Methods• Review of the medical files of 100 patients.Results• It has been possible to exclude cardiac and musculoskeletal causes of chest pain by appropriate assessment including the history, physical examination and the results of investigations of the patients with pleural plaques.Conclusions• The location of the pleural plaques and the course of the unprotected intercostal nerves, provide a scientific explanation of the pain.