Systematic review: progression of beryllium sensitization to chronic beryllium disease

BACKGROUND The relevance of beryllium sensitization testing for occupational health practice and prevention is unclear. AIMS To analyse the natural course of beryllium sensitization and clarify the prognosis following cessation of exposure among sensitized workers. METHODS An electronic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Toxline and Cochrane databases supplemented by a manual search. Data abstraction and study quality assessment with adapted guideline checklists were performed independently by three reviewers. Seven studies met the eligibility criteria and were included in the systematic review; however, six of the seven studies were of low methodological quality. RESULTS A …