Effect of N-acetylcysteine supplementation on oxidation status and alveolar inflammation in people exposed to asbestos: a double-blind randomised clinical trial

Exposure to asbestos can cause diseases of the lung such as asbestosis, mesothelioma and other lung cancers. Many of the changes in the lung following exposure to asbestos fibres are probably caused by ongoing inflammation and oxidation. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant drug that has been used for many years in patients with other lung disease. The drug seems to have beneficial effects on symptoms in patients with lung disease. Due to its anti-oxidant proerties we hypothesised that NAC would help to prevent oxidant and inflammatory changes in the lungs of people that have been exposed to asbestos. The aim of this study, therefore, is to investigate if NAC can prevent lung inflammation in people who have been exposed to asbestos and are at risk of asbestos related lung disease.