Incidence of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma in Split-Dalmatia Country

Sa？etak Between 2001 and 2005, 1150 patients with respiratory symptoms were admitted to our Pneumology Clinic whose workplace or residence could involve exposure to asbestos One hundred and twenty (10.4 %) patients were confi rmed a disease of the lung and/or pleura which could have been asbestos-related. A follow-up of these patients showed that 52 of 120 (43.3 %) developed malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), but it was also found in 12 of 1030 (1.1 %) patients without an asbestos-related disease. Of the 64 patients with MPM, 54 (84.3 %) were men and 10 (15.6 %) women. Fifty-two (81.2 %) were professionally or residentially exposed to asbestos. The incidence of mesothelioma for the Split-Dalmatia County between 2001 and 2005 was 13.8 per 100,000 inhabitants, while in the whole of Croatia it was 3.9. Mean annual incidence in the Split-Dalmatia County was 2.7 per 100,000 inhabitants, and in the whole of Croatia 0.8. This means that 22.7 % of all patients with MPM in Croatia were from the Split-Dalmatia County (whose population is about 10.5 % of Croatia’s). This distribution of MPM may be related to the strong shipbuilding industry and other asbestos-related industries in this part of the country