OBJECTIVES: The aims of the present case-referent study were to investigate whether sulfite workers show increased mortality from asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or certain malignancies of interest in relation to sulfite mill work. The main exposure from the pulping processes is from sulfur dioxide, wood dust and terpenes. METHODS: The subjects of the study were all the men who died between 1960 and 1989 and who were aged 40 to 75 years at death (N = 780) in the parishes surrounding 3 sulfite mills. The men who died from asthma (N = 13), COPD (N = 20), lung cancer (N = 33), stomach cancer (N = 35), or brain tumor (N = 10) formed the case group. All the subjects, except the cases in question, were used as referents. As a proxy variable of exposure, job titles from the registers of deaths and burials were used, and 24% of the subjects were classified as exposed. RESULTS: There was an increased mortality from asthma [odds ratio(OR) 2.8, 90% confidence interval (90% CI) 1.1-6.8] and brain tumors (OR 3.3, 90% CI 1.2-8.9) among the sulfite workers. The mortality due to lung cancer was not significantly increased (OR 1.4, 90% CI 0.7-2.6), and there was a reduced mortality from stomach cancer (OR 0.4, 90% CI 0.2-0.9). CONCLUSIONS: The increased asthma mortality may be due to accidental exposure to irritating gases, such as sulfur dioxide. The increased risk for brain tumors has no obvious explanation.
OBJECTIVES: The aims of the present case-referent study were to investigate whether sulfite workers show increased mortality from asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or certain malignancies of interest in relation to sulfite mill work. The main exposure from the pulping processes is from sulfur dioxide, wood dust and terpenes. METHODS: The subjects of the study were all the men who died between 1960 and 1989 and who were aged 40 to 75 years at death (N = 780) in the parishes surrounding 3 sulfite mills. The men who died from asthma (N = 13), COPD (N = 20), lung cancer (N = 33), stomach cancer (N = 35), or brain tumor (N = 10) formed the case group. All the subjects, except the cases in question, were used as referents. As a proxy variable of exposure, job titles from the registers of deaths and burials were used, and 24% of the subjects were classified as exposed. RESULTS: There was an increased mortality from asthma [odds ratio(OR) 2.8, 90% confidence interval (90% CI) 1.1-6.8] and brain tumors (OR 3.3, 90% CI 1.2-8.9) among the sulfite workers. The mortality due to lung cancer was not significantly increased (OR 1.4, 90% CI 0.7-2.6), and there was a reduced mortality from stomach cancer (OR 0.4, 90% CI 0.2-0.9). CONCLUSIONS: The increased asthma mortality may be due to accidental exposure to irritating gases, such as sulfur dioxide. The increased risk for brain tumors has no obvious explanation.
Authors: Eva Andersson; Håkan Westberg; Ing-Liss Bryngelsson; Anders Magnuson; Bodil Persson Journal: Int Arch Occup Environ Health Date: 2012-05-29 Impact factor: 3.015
Authors: Albert Rosenberger; Heike Bickeböller; Valerie McCormack; Darren R Brenner; Eric J Duell; Anne Tjønneland; Soren Friis; Joshua E Muscat; Ping Yang; H-Erich Wichmann; Joachim Heinrich; Neonila Szeszenia-Dabrowska; Jolanta Lissowska; David Zaridze; Peter Rudnai; Eleonora Fabianova; Vladimir Janout; Vladimir Bencko; Paul Brennan; Dana Mates; Ann G Schwartz; Michele L Cote; Zuo-Feng Zhang; Hal Morgenstern; Sam S Oh; John K Field; Olaide Raji; John R McLaughlin; John Wiencke; Loic LeMarchand; Monica Neri; Stefano Bonassi; Angeline S Andrew; Qing Lan; Wei Hu; Irene Orlow; Bernard J Park; Paolo Boffetta; Rayjean J Hung Journal: Carcinogenesis Date: 2011-12-22 Impact factor: 4.944
Authors: Eva Andersson; Bodil Persson; Ing-Liss Bryngelsson; Anders Magnuson; Håkan Westberg Journal: Int Arch Occup Environ Health Date: 2009-07-28 Impact factor: 3.015
Authors: Won Jin Lee; Kay Teschke; Timo Kauppinen; Aage Andersen; Paavo Jäppinen; Irena Szadkowska-Stanczyk; Neil Pearce; Bodil Persson; Alain Bergeret; Luiz Augusto Facchini; Reiko Kishi; Danuta Kielkowski; Bo Andreassen Rix; Paul Henneberger; Jordi Sunyer; Didier Colin; Manolis Kogevinas; Paolo Boffetta Journal: Environ Health Perspect Date: 2002-10 Impact factor: 9.031