[Incidence of malignant pleural mesothelioma in Split-Dalmatia County].

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 confirmed 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 ofmesothelioma 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.