Diachronic study of pleural plaques in rural population with environmental exposure to asbestos.

Background: The progress of pleural plaques in persons exposed to environmental asbestos in Almopia, Greece were studied prospectively.

Methods: During a 15-year period, 198 individuals, in whom pleural plaques had been observed during the period 1988-1990 were followed. Respiratory function was initially evaluated in 23.

High prevalence of smoking in Northern Greece.

Aim: To investigate the prevalence of smoking in the general population and in specific population sub-groups in Northern Greece.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted during the period 1999-2001 on a 5% sample (23,840) of those people aged between 21 to 80 out of a total general population of 653,249. 21,854/23,840 general population subjects were interviewed.

The effects of environmental pollution on the respiratory system of children in western Macedonia, Greece.

The indoor and outdoor environmental pollution effects on the respiratory system of 3,559 children aged 9-12 were studied. It was a cross-sectional and interlocal (geographical differentiation) study. The research was conducted during the period between 2000-2001 in five cities of Western Macedonia and more particularly: 1046 children from Ptolemaida, 1249 children from Kozani, 466 from Florina, 419 from Kastoria and 379 from Grevena.

Prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and rhinitis in northern Greece.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) constitutes one of the main factors responsible for morbidity and mortality worldwide. Rhinitis has a high prevalence, but its relationship to COPD has not been determined.

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of COPD and rhinitis in northern Greece and to examine their correlation.

Deaths from neoplasms and detection of radionuclides in excised human lungs in the Eordea Basin, Greece.

Lignite contains various trace-metal natural radioactive contaminants. In the Eordea Basin, the most important lignite field in Greece, the authors conducted a proportional mortality ratio (PMR) study that compared the mortality rates of individuals who lived in the basin vs. a control group who resided in the city of Kilkis, over a 30-yr period.