Asbestos-related pulmonary conditions such as benign asbestos pleural effusion (BAPE) and diffuse pleural thickening (DPT) can develop after many years of asbestos exposure. These conditions cause progressing constrictive deficit in pulmonary function which may lead to respiratory failure and death. We report the case of a 72-year-old man with asbestos-related BAPE and DPT which developed approximately 40 years after occupational asbestos exposure, leading to chronic respiratory failure and death. We were able to observe his clinical course including computed tomography (CT) scan evaluation over 11 years. In addition to this observation, moderate asbestos body concentration was confirmed in autopsy-derived lung tissue. There are few case reports that showed radiographic course of asbestos-related pulmonary disorder initiated as BAPE, followed by unilateral DPT and later bilateral DPT that was histologically proven with asbestos body. We consider his clinical course is important in managing this disease, especially in early phase.
Keywords: Asbestos body; autopsy; benign asbestos pleural effusion; diffuse pleural thickening; radiographic change.
© 2020 The Authors. Respirology Case Reports published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of The Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.