1
|
Henyoh AMS, Laurent O, Mandin C, Clero E. Radon exposure and potential health effects other than lung cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1439355. [PMID: 39386959 PMCID: PMC11461271 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1439355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 08/22/2024] [Indexed: 10/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Context and objective To date, lung cancer is the only well-established health effect associated with radon exposure in humans. To summarize available evidence on other potential health effects of radon exposure, we performed a comprehensive qualitative and quantitative synthesis of the available literature on radon exposure and health effects other than lung cancer, in both occupational and general populations. Method Eligible studies published from January 1990 to March 2023, in English and French languages, were identified in PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, ScieLo and HAL. In the meta-analysis, we estimated average weighted standardized incidence ratios (metaSIR), standardized mortality ratios (metaSMR), and risk ratio (metaRR) per 100 unit (Bq/m3 or Working level Month) increase in radon exposure concentration by combining estimates from the eligible studies using the random-effect inverse variance method. DerSimonian & Laird estimator was used to estimate the between-study variance. For each health outcome, analyses were performed separately for mine workers, children, and adults in the general population. Results A total of 129 studies were included in the systematic review and 40 distinct studies in the meta-analysis. For most of these health outcomes, the results of the meta-analyses showed no statistically significant association, and heterogeneity was only present among occupational studies, especially between those included in the metaSIR or metaSMR analyses. However, the estimated exposure-risk associations were positive and close to the statistical significance threshold for: lymphohematological cancer incidence in children (metaRR = 1.01; 95%CI: 1.00-1.03; p = 0.08); malignant melanoma mortality among adults in the general population (metaRR = 1.10; 95%CI: 0.99-1.21; p = 0.07); liver cancer mortality among mine workers (metaRR = 1.04; 95%CI: 1.00-1.10; p = 0.06); intestine and rectal cancer mortality combined among mine workers (metaRR = 1.02; 95%CI: 1.00-1.04; p = 0.06). Conclusion Although none of the exposure-risk associations estimated in the meta-analyses reached statistical significance, the hypothesis that radon may have other health effects apart from lung cancer could not be ruled-out and call for additional research. Larger and well-designed studies are needed to further investigate this question. Systematic review registration https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42023474542, ID: CRD42023474542.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Afi Mawulawoe Sylvie Henyoh
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-SANTE/SESANE/LEPID, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | | | | | - Enora Clero
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-SANTE/SESANE/LEPID, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Little MP, Bazyka D, de Gonzalez AB, Brenner AV, Chumak VV, Cullings HM, Daniels RD, French B, Grant E, Hamada N, Hauptmann M, Kendall GM, Laurier D, Lee C, Lee WJ, Linet MS, Mabuchi K, Morton LM, Muirhead CR, Preston DL, Rajaraman P, Richardson DB, Sakata R, Samet JM, Simon SL, Sugiyama H, Wakeford R, Zablotska LB. A Historical Survey of Key Epidemiological Studies of Ionizing Radiation Exposure. Radiat Res 2024; 202:432-487. [PMID: 39021204 PMCID: PMC11316622 DOI: 10.1667/rade-24-00021.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
In this article we review the history of key epidemiological studies of populations exposed to ionizing radiation. We highlight historical and recent findings regarding radiation-associated risks for incidence and mortality of cancer and non-cancer outcomes with emphasis on study design and methods of exposure assessment and dose estimation along with brief consideration of sources of bias for a few of the more important studies. We examine the findings from the epidemiological studies of the Japanese atomic bomb survivors, persons exposed to radiation for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes, those exposed to environmental sources including Chornobyl and other reactor accidents, and occupationally exposed cohorts. We also summarize results of pooled studies. These summaries are necessarily brief, but we provide references to more detailed information. We discuss possible future directions of study, to include assessment of susceptible populations, and possible new populations, data sources, study designs and methods of analysis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark P. Little
- Radiation Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892-9778, USA
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Headington Campus, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK
| | - Dimitry Bazyka
- National Research Center for Radiation Medicine, Hematology and Oncology, 53 Melnikov Street, Kyiv 04050, Ukraine
| | | | - Alina V. Brenner
- Radiation Effects Research Foundation, 5-2 Hijiyama Park, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 732-0815, Japan
| | - Vadim V. Chumak
- National Research Center for Radiation Medicine, Hematology and Oncology, 53 Melnikov Street, Kyiv 04050, Ukraine
| | - Harry M. Cullings
- Radiation Effects Research Foundation, 5-2 Hijiyama Park, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 732-0815, Japan
| | - Robert D. Daniels
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Benjamin French
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Eric Grant
- Radiation Effects Research Foundation, 5-2 Hijiyama Park, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 732-0815, Japan
| | - Nobuyuki Hamada
- Biology and Environmental Chemistry Division, Sustainable System Research Laboratory, Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI), 1646 Abiko, Chiba 270-1194, Japan
| | - Michael Hauptmann
- Institute of Biostatistics and Registry Research, Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane, 16816 Neuruppin, Germany
| | - Gerald M. Kendall
- Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Richard Doll Building, Old Road Campus, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7LF, UK
| | - Dominique Laurier
- Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety, Fontenay aux Roses France
| | - Choonsik Lee
- Radiation Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892-9778, USA
| | - Won Jin Lee
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Martha S. Linet
- Radiation Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892-9778, USA
| | - Kiyohiko Mabuchi
- Radiation Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892-9778, USA
| | - Lindsay M. Morton
- Radiation Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892-9778, USA
| | | | | | - Preetha Rajaraman
- Radiation Effects Research Foundation, 5-2 Hijiyama Park, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 732-0815, Japan
| | - David B. Richardson
- Environmental and Occupational Health, 653 East Peltason, University California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-3957 USA
| | - Ritsu Sakata
- Radiation Effects Research Foundation, 5-2 Hijiyama Park, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 732-0815, Japan
| | - Jonathan M. Samet
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Steven L. Simon
- Radiation Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892-9778, USA
| | - Hiromi Sugiyama
- Radiation Effects Research Foundation, 5-2 Hijiyama Park, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 732-0815, Japan
| | - Richard Wakeford
- Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, The University of Manchester, Ellen Wilkinson Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Lydia B. Zablotska
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, 550 16 Street, 2 floor, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Little MP, Boerma M, Bernier MO, Azizova TV, Zablotska LB, Einstein AJ, Hamada N. Effects of confounding and effect-modifying lifestyle, environmental and medical factors on risk of radiation-associated cardiovascular disease. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:1601. [PMID: 38879521 PMCID: PMC11179258 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-18701-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/19/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. It has been known for some considerable time that radiation is associated with excess risk of CVD. A recent systematic review of radiation and CVD highlighted substantial inter-study heterogeneity in effect, possibly a result of confounding or modifications of radiation effect by non-radiation factors, in particular by the major lifestyle/environmental/medical risk factors and latent period. METHODS We assessed effects of confounding by lifestyle/environmental/medical risk factors on radiation-associated CVD and investigated evidence for modifying effects of these variables on CVD radiation dose-response, using data assembled for a recent systematic review. RESULTS There are 43 epidemiologic studies which are informative on effects of adjustment for confounding or risk modifying factors on radiation-associated CVD. Of these 22 were studies of groups exposed to substantial doses of medical radiation for therapy or diagnosis. The remaining 21 studies were of groups exposed at much lower levels of dose and/or dose rate. Only four studies suggest substantial effects of adjustment for lifestyle/environmental/medical risk factors on radiation risk of CVD; however, there were also substantial uncertainties in the estimates in all of these studies. There are fewer suggestions of effects that modify the radiation dose response; only two studies, both at lower levels of dose, report the most serious level of modifying effect. CONCLUSIONS There are still large uncertainties about confounding factors or lifestyle/environmental/medical variables that may influence radiation-associated CVD, although indications are that there are not many studies in which there are substantial confounding effects of these risk factors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark P Little
- Radiation Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Room 7E546, 9609 Medical Center Drive MSC 9778, Bethesda, MD, 20892-9778, USA.
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Headington Campus, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK.
| | - Marjan Boerma
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Marie-Odile Bernier
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sureté Nucléaire, Fontenay Aux Roses, France
| | - Tamara V Azizova
- Clinical Department, Southern Urals Biophysics Institute, Chelyabinsk Region, Ozyorskoe Shosse 19, Ozyorsk, 456780, Russia
| | - Lydia B Zablotska
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, 550 16th St 2nd floor, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Andrew J Einstein
- Seymour, Paul, and Gloria Milstein Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, and Department of Radiology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center/New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nobuyuki Hamada
- Biology and Environmental Chemistry Division, Sustainable System Research Laboratory, Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI), 1646 Abiko, Chiba 270-1194, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Manenti G, Coppeta L, Kirev IV, Verno G, Garaci F, Magrini A, Floris R. Low-Dose Occupational Exposure to Ionizing Radiation and Cardiovascular Effects: A Narrative Review. Healthcare (Basel) 2024; 12:238. [PMID: 38255124 PMCID: PMC10815868 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12020238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Historically, non-cancer diseases have not been considered a health risk following low-dose exposure to ionizing radiation. However, it is now well known that high-dose ionizing radiation causes cardiovascular disease, and emerging epidemiological evidence suggests an excess risk of non-cancer diseases even following exposure to lower doses of ionizing radiation than previously thought. In fact, the evidence is strongest for cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim of this review was to report the most representative studies and data on the risk of CVD from low-dose radiation in people with occupational exposure. We reported the results of 27 articles selected from a database search of 1151 studies. The results show a complex evidence landscape on the relationship between radiation exposure and cardiovascular disease. In general, published papers show a positive association between ionizing radiation exposure and dermal microcirculation damage, ischemic heart disease, and cerebrovascular disease. Overall, they highlight the need for comprehensive and detailed research to clarify this relationship. Due to limited statistical power, the dose-risk relationship below 0.5 Gy is inconclusive, but if this relationship is found to have no threshold, it could have a significant impact on current estimates of health risks at low doses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guglielmo Manenti
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Molecular Imaging and Radiotherapy, PTV Foundation, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Luca Coppeta
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy; (L.C.); (G.V.)
| | - Ivan Valentinov Kirev
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Molecular Imaging and Radiotherapy, PTV Foundation, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Greta Verno
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy; (L.C.); (G.V.)
| | - Francesco Garaci
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Molecular Imaging and Radiotherapy, PTV Foundation, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Magrini
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy; (L.C.); (G.V.)
| | - Roberto Floris
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Molecular Imaging and Radiotherapy, PTV Foundation, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
McGraw KE, Schilling K, Glabonjat RA, Galvez-Fernandez M, Domingo-Relloso A, Martinez-Morata I, Jones MR, Post WS, Kaufman J, Tellez-Plaza M, Valeri L, Brown ER, Kronmal RA, Barr GR, Shea S, Navas-Acien A, Sanchez TR. Urinary Metal Levels and Coronary Artery Calcification: Longitudinal Evidence in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.10.31.23297878. [PMID: 37961623 PMCID: PMC10635251 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.31.23297878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Objective Growing evidence indicates that exposure to metals are risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). We hypothesized that higher urinary levels of metals with prior evidence of an association with CVD, including non-essential (cadmium , tungsten, and uranium) and essential (cobalt, copper, and zinc) metals are associated with baseline and rate of change of coronary artery calcium (CAC) progression, a subclinical marker of atherosclerotic CVD. Methods We analyzed data from 6,418 participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) with spot urinary metal levels at baseline (2000-2002) and 1-4 repeated measures of spatially weighted coronary calcium score (SWCS) over a ten-year period. SWCS is a unitless measure of CAC highly correlated to the Agatston score but with numerical values assigned to individuals with Agatston score=0. We used linear mixed effect models to assess the association of baseline urinary metal levels with baseline SWCS, annual change in SWCS, and SWCS over ten years of follow-up. Urinary metals (adjusted to μg/g creatinine) and SWCS were log transformed. Models were progressively adjusted for baseline sociodemographic factors, estimated glomerular filtration rate, lifestyle factors, and clinical factors. Results At baseline, the median and interquartile range (25th, 75th) of SWCS was 6.3 (0.7, 58.2). For urinary cadmium, the fully adjusted geometric mean ratio (GMR) (95%Cl) of SWCS comparing the highest to the lowest quartile was 1.51 (1.32, 1.74) at baseline and 1.75 (1.47, 2.07) at ten years of follow-up. For urinary tungsten, uranium, and cobalt the corresponding GMRs at ten years of follow-up were 1.45 (1.23, 1.71), 1.39 (1.17, 1.64), and 1.47 (1.25, 1.74), respectively. For copper and zinc, the association was attenuated with adjustment for clinical risk factors; GMRs at ten years of follow-up before and after adjustment for clinical risk factors were 1.55 (1.30, 1.84) and 1.33 (1.12, 1.58), respectively, for copper and 1.85 (1.56, 2.19) and 1.57 (1.33, 1.85) for zinc. Conclusion Higher levels of cadmium, tungsten, uranium, cobalt, copper, and zinc, as measured in urine, were associated with subclinical CVD at baseline and at follow-up. These findings support the hypothesis that metals are pro-atherogenic factors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katlyn E. McGraw
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health Science, 722 W 168th St, New York, NY 10032
| | - Kathrin Schilling
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health Science, 722 W 168th St, New York, NY 10032
| | - Ronald A. Glabonjat
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health Science, 722 W 168th St, New York, NY 10032
| | - Marta Galvez-Fernandez
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health Science, 722 W 168th St, New York, NY 10032
| | - Arce Domingo-Relloso
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Department of Biostatistics, 722 W 168th St, New York, NY 10032
| | - Irene Martinez-Morata
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health Science, 722 W 168th St, New York, NY 10032
| | - Miranda R. Jones
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore MD 21057
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, 615 N. Wolfe Street. Baltimore MD 212057
| | - Wendy S. Post
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore MD 21057
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, 615 N. Wolfe Street. Baltimore MD 212057
| | - Joel Kaufman
- University of Washington, Department of Medicine
| | - Maria Tellez-Plaza
- National Center for Epidemiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain, Department of Chronic Diseases Epidemiology
| | - Linda Valeri
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Department of Biostatistics, 722 W 168th St, New York, NY 10032
| | - Elizabeth R. Brown
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division
- University of Washington, Department of Biostatistics
| | | | - Graham R. Barr
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Departments of Medicine and Epidemiology
| | - Steven Shea
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Departments of Medicine and Epidemiology
| | - Ana Navas-Acien
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health Science, 722 W 168th St, New York, NY 10032
| | - Tiffany R. Sanchez
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health Science, 722 W 168th St, New York, NY 10032
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Hamada N. Noncancer Effects of Ionizing Radiation Exposure on the Eye, the Circulatory System and beyond: Developments made since the 2011 ICRP Statement on Tissue Reactions. Radiat Res 2023; 200:188-216. [PMID: 37410098 DOI: 10.1667/rade-23-00030.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
For radiation protection purposes, noncancer effects with a threshold-type dose-response relationship have been classified as tissue reactions (formerly called nonstochastic or deterministic effects), and equivalent dose limits aim to prevent occurrence of such tissue reactions. Accumulating evidence demonstrates increased risks for several late occurring noncancer effects at doses and dose rates much lower than previously considered. In 2011, the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) issued a statement on tissue reactions to recommend a threshold of 0.5 Gy to the lens of the eye for cataracts and to the heart and brain for diseases of the circulatory system (DCS), independent of dose rate. Literature published thereafter continues to provide updated knowledge. Increased risks for cataracts below 0.5 Gy have been reported in several cohorts (e.g., including in those receiving protracted or chronic exposures). A dose threshold for cataracts is less evident with longer follow-up, with limited evidence available for risk of cataract removal surgery. There is emerging evidence for risk of normal-tension glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, but the long-held tenet that the lens represents among the most radiosensitive tissues in the eye and in the body seems to remain unchanged. For DCS, increased risks have been reported in various cohorts, but the existence or otherwise of a dose threshold is unclear. The level of risk is less uncertain at lower dose and lower dose rate, with the possibility that risk per unit dose is greater at lower doses and dose rates. Target organs and tissues for DCS are also unknown, but may include heart, large blood vessels and kidneys. Identification of potential factors (e.g., sex, age, lifestyle factors, coexposures, comorbidities, genetics and epigenetics) that may modify radiation risk of cataracts and DCS would be important. Other noncancer effects on the radar include neurological effects (e.g., Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and dementia) of which elevated risk has increasingly been reported. These late occurring noncancer effects tend to deviate from the definition of tissue reactions, necessitating more scientific developments to reconsider the radiation effect classification system and risk management. This paper gives an overview of historical developments made in ICRP prior to the 2011 statement and an update on relevant developments made since the 2011 ICRP statement.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nobuyuki Hamada
- Biology and Environmental Chemistry Division, Sustainable System Research Laboratory, Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI), Chiba, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Little MP, Azizova TV, Richardson DB, Tapio S, Bernier MO, Kreuzer M, Cucinotta FA, Bazyka D, Chumak V, Ivanov VK, Veiga LHS, Livinski A, Abalo K, Zablotska LB, Einstein AJ, Hamada N. Ionising radiation and cardiovascular disease: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ 2023; 380:e072924. [PMID: 36889791 PMCID: PMC10535030 DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2022-072924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To systematically review and perform a meta-analysis of radiation associated risks of cardiovascular disease in all groups exposed to radiation with individual radiation dose estimates. DESIGN Systematic review and meta-analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Excess relative risk per unit dose (Gy), estimated by restricted maximum likelihood methods. DATA SOURCES PubMed and Medline, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science Core collection databases. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES Databases were searched on 6 October 2022, with no limits on date of publication or language. Animal studies and studies without an abstract were excluded. RESULTS The meta-analysis yielded 93 relevant studies. Relative risk per Gy increased for all cardiovascular disease (excess relative risk per Gy of 0.11 (95% confidence interval 0.08 to 0.14)) and for the four major subtypes of cardiovascular disease (ischaemic heart disease, other heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, all other cardiovascular disease). However, interstudy heterogeneity was noted (P<0.05 for all endpoints except for other heart disease), possibly resulting from interstudy variation in unmeasured confounders or effect modifiers, which is markedly reduced if attention is restricted to higher quality studies or those at moderate doses (<0.5 Gy) or low dose rates (<5 mGy/h). For ischaemic heart disease and all cardiovascular disease, risks were larger per unit dose for lower dose (inverse dose effect) and for fractionated exposures (inverse dose fractionation effect). Population based excess absolute risks are estimated for a number of national populations (Canada, England and Wales, France, Germany, Japan, USA) and range from 2.33% per Gy (95% confidence interval 1.69% to 2.98%) for England and Wales to 3.66% per Gy (2.65% to 4.68%) for Germany, largely reflecting the underlying rates of cardiovascular disease mortality in these populations. Estimated risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease are generally dominated by cerebrovascular disease (around 0.94-1.26% per Gy), with the next largest contribution from ischaemic heart disease (around 0.30-1.20% per Gy). CONCLUSIONS Results provide evidence supporting a causal association between radiation exposure and cardiovascular disease at high dose, and to a lesser extent at low dose, with some indications of differences in risk between acute and chronic exposures, which require further investigation. The observed heterogeneity complicates a causal interpretation of these findings, although this heterogeneity is much reduced if only higher quality studies or those at moderate doses or low dose rates are considered. Studies are needed to assess in more detail modifications of radiation effect by lifestyle and medical risk factors. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION PROSPERO CRD42020202036.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark P Little
- Radiation Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Tamara V Azizova
- Clinical Department, Southern Urals Biophysics Institute, Ozyorsk, Chelyabinsk Region, Russia
| | - David B Richardson
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Irvine Program in Public Health, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Soile Tapio
- Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Marie-Odile Bernier
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sureté Nucléaire, Fontenay aux Roses, France
| | | | - Francis A Cucinotta
- Department of Health Physics and Diagnostic Sciences, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Dimitry Bazyka
- National Research Center for Radiation Medicine, National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Vadim Chumak
- National Research Center for Radiation Medicine, National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Victor K Ivanov
- Medical Radiological Research Center of Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Obninsk, Russia
| | - Lene H S Veiga
- Radiation Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Alicia Livinski
- National Institutes of Health Library, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kossi Abalo
- Department of Medicine Solna, Clinical Epidemiology Division, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Immunology Genetics and Pathology, Cancer Precision Medicine, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Lydia B Zablotska
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Andrew J Einstein
- Seymour, Paul, and Gloria Milstein Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, and Department of Radiology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center/New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nobuyuki Hamada
- Biology and Environmental Chemistry Division, Sustainable System Research Laboratory, Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI), Komae, Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Circulatory system disease mortality and occupational exposure to radon progeny in the cohort of Newfoundland Fluorspar Miners between 1950 and 2016. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2023; 96:411-418. [PMID: 36319769 PMCID: PMC9968242 DOI: 10.1007/s00420-022-01932-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Exposure to ionizing radiation may increase the risk of circulatory diseases, including heart disease. A limited number of cohort studies of underground miners have investigated these associations. We previously reported a positive but non-statistically significant association between radon progeny and heart disease in a cohort of Newfoundland fluorspar miners. In this study, we report updated findings that incorporate 15 additional years of follow-up. METHODS The cohort included 2050 miners who worked in the fluorspar mines from 1933 to 1978. Statistics Canada linked the personal identifying data of the miners to Canadian mortality data to identify deaths from 1950 to 2016. We used previously derived individual-level estimates of annual radon progeny exposure in working-level months. Cumulative exposure was categorized into quantiles. We estimated relative risks and their 95% confidence intervals using Poisson regression for deaths from circulatory, ischemic heart disease and acute myocardial infarction. Relative risks were adjusted for attained age, calendar year, and the average number of cigarettes smoked daily. RESULTS Relative to the Newfoundland male population, the standardized mortality ratio for circulatory disease in this cohort was 0.82 (95% CI 0.74-0.91). Those in the highest quantile of cumulative radon progeny exposure had a relative risk of circulatory disease mortality of 1.03 (95% CI 0.76-1.40) compared to those in the lowest quantile. The corresponding estimates for ischemic disease and acute myocardial infarction were 0.99 (95% CI 0.66-1.48), and 1.39 (95% CI 0.84-2.30), respectively. CONCLUSIONS Our findings do not support the hypothesis that occupational exposure to radon progeny increases the risk of circulatory disease.
Collapse
|
9
|
Laurent O, Samson E, Caër-Lorho S, Fournier L, Laurier D, Leuraud K. Updated Mortality Analysis of SELTINE, the French Cohort of Nuclear Workers, 1968-2014. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 15:79. [PMID: 36612076 PMCID: PMC9817793 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15010079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Cohorts of nuclear workers are particularly relevant to study the health effects of protracted exposures to low doses at low dose-rates of ionizing radiation (IR). In France, a cohort of nuclear workers badge-monitored for external IR exposure has been followed-up for several decades. Its size and follow-up period have recently been extended. The present paper focuses on mortality from both cancer and non-cancer diseases in this cohort. The SELTINE cohort of nuclear workers employed by CEA, Orano, and EDF companies was followed-up for mortality from 1968 to 2014. Mortality in the cohort was compared to that in the French general population. Poisson regression methods were used to estimate excess relative rates of mortality per unit of cumulative dose of IR, adjusted for calendar year, age, company, duration of employment, and socioeconomic status. The cohort included 80,348 workers. At the end of the follow-up, the mean attained age was 63 years, and 15,695 deaths were observed. A strong healthy worker effect was observed overall. A significant excess of pleural cancer mortality was observed but not associated with IR dose. Death from solid cancers was positively but non-significantly associated with radiation. Death from leukaemia (excluding chronic lymphocytic leukaemia), dementia, and Alzheimer's disease were positively and significantly associated with IR dose. Estimated dose-risk relationships were consistent with those from other nuclear worker studies for all solid cancers and leukaemia but remained associated with large uncertainty. The association between IR dose and dementia mortality risk should be interpreted with caution and requires further investigation by other studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Laurent
- Ionizing Radiation Epidemiology Laboratory (LEPID), Institute for Radiobiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Zhang L, Chu J, Xia B, Xiong Z, Zhang S, Tang W. Health Effects of Particulate Uranium Exposure. TOXICS 2022; 10:575. [PMID: 36287855 PMCID: PMC9610560 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10100575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Uranium contamination has become a nonnegligible global health problem. Inhalation of particulate uranium is one of the predominant routes of occupational and environmental exposure. Uranium particle is a complex two-phase flow of matter that is both particulate and flowable. This particular physicochemical property may alter its biological activity. Epidemiological studies from occupationally exposed populations in the uranium industry have concluded that there is a possible association between lung cancer risk and uranium exposure, while the evidence for the risk of other tumors is not sufficient. The toxicological effects of particulate uranium exposure to animals have been shown in laboratory tests to focus on respiratory and central nervous system damage. Fibrosis and tumors can occur in the lung tissue of the respiratory tract. Uranium particles can also induce a concentration-dependent increase in cytotoxicity, targeting mitochondria. The understanding of the health risks and potential toxicological mechanisms of particulate uranium contamination is still at a preliminary stage. The diversity of particle parameters has limited the in-depth exploration. This review summarizes the current evidence on the toxicology of particulate uranium and highlights the knowledge gaps and research prospects.
Collapse
|
11
|
Lu L, Zhang Y, Chen C, Field RW, Kahe K. Radon exposure and risk of cerebrovascular disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis in occupational and general population studies. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:45031-45043. [PMID: 35460001 PMCID: PMC9209369 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-20241-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Although it is biologically plausible, findings relating radon exposure to the risk of cerebrovascular disease (CeVD) are inconsistent and inconclusive. To investigate whether radon exposure was associated with the risk of CeVD, we qualitatively and quantitatively summarized the literature on radon and CeVD in both occupational and general populations. A search of PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science was performed for peer-reviewed articles published through March 2022. Studies were excluded if radon exposure was not assessed separately from other ionizing radiation. In the meta-analysis, excess relative risks (ERRs) were converted to relative risks (RRs), and the pooled RRs and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were determined using the random-effects model (DerSimonian and Laird). In the systematic review, nine eligible studies were summarized. Six occupational studies indicated inconsistent associations between cumulative radon exposure and CeVD mortality among mine workers. With available data from four updated occupational studies (99,730 mine workers and 2745 deaths), the pooled RR of radon exposure with CeVD mortality showed a non-significant association (1.10, 95% CI 0.92, 1.31). Three studies (841,270 individuals and 24,288 events) conducted in general populations consistently demonstrated a significant inverse relationship between residential radon exposure and risk of CeVD. The existing literature suggested a potential link between radon exposure and CeVD risk in general population. The inconsistent association in occupationally exposed populations may be explained by different methods of radon assessment and other methodological issues. Since radon exposure is a common public health issue, more rigorously designed epidemiologic studies, especially in the general population are warranted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liping Lu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 622 West 168th Street, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Yijia Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 622 West 168th Street, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Cheng Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 622 West 168th Street, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Robert William Field
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health and Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Ka Kahe
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 622 West 168th Street, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Ass’ad NA, Shore X, Myers O, Camacho AR, Jacquez Q, Pollard C, Cook LS, Leng S, Page K, Sood A, Zychowski KE. VCAM-1 Is Upregulated in Uranium Miners Compared to Other Miners. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:1223. [PMID: 34833099 PMCID: PMC8621685 DOI: 10.3390/life11111223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The United States has a rich history of mining including uranium (U)-mining, coal mining, and other metal mining. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are largely understudied in miners and recent literature suggests that when compared to non-U miners, U-miners are more likely to report CVD. However, the molecular basis for this phenomenon is currently unknown. In this pilot study, a New Mexico (NM)-based occupational cohort of current and former miners (n = 44) were recruited via a mobile screening clinic for miners. Serum- and endothelial-based endpoints were used to assess circulating inflammatory potential relevant to CVD. Non-U miners reported significantly fewer pack years of smoking than U-miners. Circulating biomarkers of interest revealed that U-miners had significantly greater serum amyloid A (SAA), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1, ng/mL), soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1, ng/mL), and VCAM-1 mRNA expression, as determined by the serum cumulative inflammatory potential (SCIP) assay, an endothelial-based assay. Even after adjusting for various covariates, including age, multivariable analysis determined that U-miners had significantly upregulated VCAM-1 mRNA. In conclusion, VCAM-1 may be an important biomarker and possible contributor of CVD in U-miners. Further research to explore this mechanism may be warranted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nour A. Ass’ad
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (N.A.A.); (L.S.C.); (S.L.); (K.P.); (A.S.)
| | - Xin Shore
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (X.S.); (O.M.)
| | - Orrin Myers
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (X.S.); (O.M.)
| | - Alexandra R. Camacho
- College of Nursing, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (A.R.C.); (Q.J.)
| | - Quiteria Jacquez
- College of Nursing, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (A.R.C.); (Q.J.)
| | - Charles Pollard
- Miners’ Colfax Medical Center, 203 Hospital Drive, Raton, NM 87740, USA;
| | - Linda S. Cook
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (N.A.A.); (L.S.C.); (S.L.); (K.P.); (A.S.)
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Colorado-Anschutz, Arora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Shuguang Leng
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (N.A.A.); (L.S.C.); (S.L.); (K.P.); (A.S.)
| | - Kimberly Page
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (N.A.A.); (L.S.C.); (S.L.); (K.P.); (A.S.)
| | - Akshay Sood
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (N.A.A.); (L.S.C.); (S.L.); (K.P.); (A.S.)
- Miners’ Colfax Medical Center, 203 Hospital Drive, Raton, NM 87740, USA;
| | - Katherine E. Zychowski
- College of Nursing, University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (A.R.C.); (Q.J.)
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Little MP, Azizova TV, Hamada N. Low- and moderate-dose non-cancer effects of ionizing radiation in directly exposed individuals, especially circulatory and ocular diseases: a review of the epidemiology. Int J Radiat Biol 2021; 97:782-803. [PMID: 33471563 PMCID: PMC10656152 DOI: 10.1080/09553002.2021.1876955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2020] [Revised: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE There are well-known correlations between high and moderate doses (>0.5 Gy) of ionizing radiation exposure and circulatory system damage, also between radiation and posterior subcapsular cataract. At lower dose correlations with circulatory disease are emerging in the Japanese atomic bomb survivors and in some occupationally exposed groups, and are still to some extent controversial. Heterogeneity in excess relative risks per unit dose in epidemiological studies at low (<0.1 Gy) and at low-moderate (>0.1 Gy, <0.5 Gy) doses may result from confounding and other types of bias, and effect modification by established risk factors. There is also accumulating evidence of excess cataract risks at lower dose and low dose rate in various cohorts. Other ocular endpoints, specifically glaucoma and macular degeneration have been little studied. In this paper, we review recent epidemiological findings, and also discuss some of the underlying radiobiology of these conditions. We briefly review some other types of mainly neurological nonmalignant disease in relation to radiation exposure. CONCLUSIONS We document statistically significant excess risk of the major types of circulatory disease, specifically ischemic heart disease and stroke, in moderate- or low-dose exposed groups, with some not altogether consistent evidence suggesting dose-response non-linearity, particularly for stroke. However, the patterns of risk reported are not straightforward. We also document evidence of excess risks at lower doses/dose-rates of posterior subcapsular and cortical cataract in the Chernobyl liquidators, US Radiologic Technologists and Russian Mayak nuclear workers, with fundamentally linear dose-response. Nuclear cataracts are less radiogenic. For other ocular endpoints, specifically glaucoma and macular degeneration there is very little evidence of effects at low doses; radiation-associated glaucoma has been documented only for doses >5 Gy, and so has the characteristics of a tissue reaction. There is some evidence of neurological detriment following low-moderate dose (∼0.1-0.2 Gy) radiation exposure in utero or in early childhood.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark P Little
- Radiation Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Tamara V Azizova
- Clinical Department, Southern Urals Biophysics Institute, Ozyorsk, Ozyorsk Chelyabinsk Region, Russia
| | - Nobuyuki Hamada
- Radiation Safety Research Center, Nuclear Technology Research Laboratory, Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI), Komae, Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Abstract
Fundamental estimates of radon-associated health risk have been provided by epidemiological studies of miners. In total, approximately 15 studies have been conducted worldwide since the 1960s. These results have contributed directly to radiological protection against radon. The present article summarises the main results, with a focus on analyses of miners exposed more recently, estimates of radon lifetime attributable risk, and interaction between radon and smoking. The potential for the upcoming Pooled Uranium Miner Analysis project to further improve our knowledge is discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- D Laurier
- Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety, 92262 Fontenay aux Roses Cedex, France; e-mail:
| | | | - E Rage
- Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety, 92262 Fontenay aux Roses Cedex, France; e-mail:
| | - L Tomasek
- National Radiation Protection Institute, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Semenova YV, Karpov AB, Takhauov RM, Milto IV, Shanina EI, Kovalchuk EV, Suslova TE. [Markers of endothelial dysfunction in patients with arterial hypertension exposed to occupational irradiation of low intensity]. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 60:73-79. [PMID: 33228509 DOI: 10.18087/cardio.2020.10.n1236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Aim To study the association between concentrations of endothelial dysfunction (ED) markers and arterial hypertension (AH) in people who were exposed to long-term action of "low-dose" ionizing radiation.Material and methods The study subjects were men of middle age (45-55 years) who were workers of the Siberian Integrated Chemical Plant with the length of service on the shop floor of at least 5 years. The subjects were divided into the main group (n=96) consisting of workers with grade 1-2 AH and the control group (n=48) consisting of arbitrarily healthy workers. Both groups contained workers who had been exposed to long-term occupational low-intensity irradiation (γ-radiation) and those not exposed to this irradiation. The study evaluated risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, presence of concomitant diseases, blood biochemistry (concentrations of glucose, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), total cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins, high-density lipoproteins, triglycerides, creatinine, and ED markers, including endothelin, angiotensin II, von Willebrand factor, C-type natriuretic peptide, tissue plasminogen activator, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and homocysteine, major clinical data, total dose of external irradiation, and the content of 239Pu in the body.Results AH was associated primarily with excessive body weight and severity of atherogenic dyslipidemia and homocysteinemia. Higher plasma concentrations of TNF-α and a tendency to increasing hsCRP in the AH group, as distinct from the control group of arbitrarily healthy men, indicated a proinflammatory shift. The ED markers were related with clinical data of AH patients and associated with the lipid profile and increased blood concentrations of inflammatory mediators. The radiation exposure did not change the ED marker array in AH patients, which did not allow recommendation of the studied plasma indexes for detection of vascular endothelial injury in workers with AH of the Siberian Integrated Chemical Plant.Conclusion The study results evidenced the absence of adverse effects of long-term occupational exposure to low-intensity radiation on the vascular endothelium as evaluated by ED markers. In men aged 45-55 years, AH was associated primarily with excessive body weight, homocysteinemia, and atherogenic dyslipidemia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yu V Semenova
- Federal State Institution of Seversk Biophysical, Research Center of the Russian Federal Medical and Biological Agency, Seversk, Russia
| | - A B Karpov
- Siberian State Medical University, Tomsk, Russia
| | - R M Takhauov
- Federal State Institution of Seversk Biophysical, Research Center of the Russian Federal Medical and Biological Agency, Seversk, Russia
| | - I V Milto
- Federal State Institution of Seversk Biophysical, Research Center of the Russian Federal Medical and Biological Agency, Seversk, Russia
| | - E I Shanina
- Siberian Federal Scientific Clinical Center of Federal Medicobiological Agency, Seversk, Russia
| | - E V Kovalchuk
- Siberian Federal Scientific Clinical Center of Federal Medicobiological Agency, Seversk, Russia
| | - T E Suslova
- Tomsk National Research Medical Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Tomsk, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Rage E, Richardson DB, Demers PA, Do M, Fenske N, Kreuzer M, Samet J, Wiggins C, Schubauer-Berigan MK, Kelly-Reif K, Tomasek L, Zablotska LB, Laurier D. PUMA - pooled uranium miners analysis: cohort profile. Occup Environ Med 2020; 77:194-200. [PMID: 32005674 PMCID: PMC8663280 DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2019-105981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Epidemiological studies of underground miners have provided clear evidence that inhalation of radon decay products causes lung cancer. Moreover, these studies have served as a quantitative basis for estimation of radon-associated excess lung cancer risk. However, questions remain regarding the effects of exposure to the low levels of radon decay products typically encountered in contemporary occupational and environmental settings on the risk of lung cancer and other diseases, and on the modifiers of these associations. These issues are of central importance for estimation of risks associated with residential and occupational radon exposures. METHODS The Pooled Uranium Miner Analysis (PUMA) assembles information on cohorts of uranium miners in North America and Europe. Data available include individual annual estimates of exposure to radon decay products, demographic and employment history information on each worker and information on vital status, date of death and cause of death. Some, but not all, cohorts also have individual information on cigarette smoking, external gamma radiation exposure and non-radiological occupational exposures. RESULTS The PUMA study represents the largest study of uranium miners conducted to date, encompassing 124 507 miners, 4.51 million person-years at risk and 54 462 deaths, including 7825 deaths due to lung cancer. Planned research topics include analyses of associations between radon exposure and mortality due to lung cancer, cancers other than lung, non-malignant disease, modifiers of these associations and characterisation of overall relative mortality excesses and lifetime risks. CONCLUSION PUMA provides opportunities to evaluate new research questions and to conduct analyses to assess potential health risks associated with uranium mining that have greater statistical power than can be achieved with any single cohort.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Estelle Rage
- Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), PSE-SANTE, SESANE, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | | | | | - Minh Do
- Cancer Care Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nora Fenske
- Federal Office for Radiation Protection, Department of Radiation Protection and Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Michaela Kreuzer
- Federal Office for Radiation Protection, Department of Radiation Protection and Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | | | - Charles Wiggins
- University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
- New Mexico Tumor Registry, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Mary K Schubauer-Berigan
- International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Kaitlin Kelly-Reif
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | | | - Lydia B Zablotska
- University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Dominique Laurier
- Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), PSE-SANTE, SESANE, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Shore RE, Beck HL, Boice JD, Caffrey EA, Davis S, Grogan HA, Mettler FA, Preston RJ, Till JE, Wakeford R, Walsh L, Dauer LT. Recent Epidemiologic Studies and the Linear No-Threshold Model For Radiation Protection-Considerations Regarding NCRP Commentary 27. HEALTH PHYSICS 2019; 116:235-246. [PMID: 30585971 DOI: 10.1097/hp.0000000000001015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements Commentary 27 examines recent epidemiologic data primarily from low-dose or low dose-rate studies of low linear-energy-transfer radiation and cancer to assess whether they support the linear no-threshold model as used in radiation protection. The commentary provides a critical review of low-dose or low dose-rate studies, most published within the last 10 y, that are applicable to current occupational, environmental, and medical radiation exposures. The strengths and weaknesses of the epidemiologic methods, dosimetry assessments, and statistical modeling of 29 epidemiologic studies of total solid cancer, leukemia, breast cancer, and thyroid cancer, as well as heritable effects and a few nonmalignant conditions, were evaluated. An appraisal of the degree to which the low-dose or low dose-rate studies supported a linear no-threshold model for radiation protection or on the contrary, demonstrated sufficient evidence that the linear no-threshold model is inappropriate for the purposes of radiation protection was also included. The review found that many, though not all, studies of solid cancer supported the continued use of the linear no-threshold model in radiation protection. Evaluations of the principal studies of leukemia and low-dose or low dose-rate radiation exposure also lent support for the linear no-threshold model as used in protection. Ischemic heart disease, a major type of cardiovascular disease, was examined briefly, but the results of recent studies were considered too weak or inconsistent to allow firm conclusions regarding support of the linear no-threshold model. It is acknowledged that the possible risks from very low doses of low linear-energy-transfer radiation are small and uncertain and that it may never be possible to prove or disprove the validity of the linear no-threshold assumption by epidemiologic means. Nonetheless, the preponderance of recent epidemiologic data on solid cancer is supportive of the continued use of the linear no-threshold model for the purposes of radiation protection. This conclusion is in accord with judgments by other national and international scientific committees, based on somewhat older data. Currently, no alternative dose-response relationship appears more pragmatic or prudent for radiation protection purposes than the linear no-threshold model.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roy E Shore
- New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, and Radiation Effects Research Foundation, Hiroshima, Japan (retired)
| | | | - John D Boice
- National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, Bethesda, MD, and Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
| | | | - Scott Davis
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Al Rashida VJM, Wang X, Myers OB, Boyce TW, Kocher E, Moreno M, Karr R, Ass'ad N, Cook LS, Sood A. Greater Odds for Angina in Uranium Miners Than Nonuranium Miners in New Mexico. J Occup Environ Med 2019; 61:1-7. [PMID: 30601436 PMCID: PMC6541557 DOI: 10.1097/jom.0000000000001482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that uranium miners in New Mexico (NM) have a greater prevalence of cardiovascular disease than miners who extracted the nonuranium ore. METHODS NM-based current and former uranium miners were compared with nonuranium miners by using cross-sectional standardized questionnaire data from the Mining Dust in the United States (MiDUS) study from 1989 to 2016. RESULTS Of the 7215 eligible miners, most were men (96.3%). Uranium miners (n = 3151, 43.7%) were older and diabetic, but less likely to currently smoke or use snuff (P ≤ 0.001 for all). After adjustment for covariates, uranium miners were more likely to report angina (odds ratio 1.51, 95% confidence interval 1.23 to 1.85) than nonuranium miners. CONCLUSION Our data suggest that along with screening for pulmonary diseases, uranium industry workers should be screened for cardiovascular diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa J M Al Rashida
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico (Drs al Rashida, Wang, Myers, Boyce, Kocher, Assad, Cook, Sood); Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas (Dr al Rashida); and Black Lung Program, Miners' Colfax Medical Center, Raton, New Mexico (Moreno, Karr, Dr Sood)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
19
|
Analysis of the association between ionizing radiation and mortality in uranium workers from five plants involved in the nuclear fuel production cycle in France. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2018; 92:249-262. [DOI: 10.1007/s00420-018-1375-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
|
20
|
Mortazavi SMJ. Exposure to indoor radon can be a concern in studies on the role of short-term exposure to air pollution and mortality. REVIEWS ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 2018; 33:315-317. [PMID: 29894303 DOI: 10.1515/reveh-2018-0016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Recent studies show that short-term exposure to ambient particulate matter is associated with more emergency department visits and hospitalizations for pneumonia as well as increased mortality and increased health care costs among older adults. Moreover, exposure to ambient particulate matter is shown to be connected with an increased rate of daily mortality and hospitalizations due to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). The association between short-term exposures to particulate matter with a diameter less than 2.5 µm (PM2.5) and ozone [at levels below the current daily National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)] and mortality in the continental United States has been recently addressed by some researchers. Although exposure to radon is usually known to cause late health effects such as lung cancer, some studies show a significant association between radon exposure and cerebrovascular disease (CeVD) mortality. In some residential areas with high levels of radon, it has been found that the incidences of respiratory, nervous system and cardiovascular system diseases exceed the average. Studies that calculated the radiation dose to blood and the walls of coronary arteries from radon and progeny also indicate that exposure to radon can increase the incidence of CVDs. Based on the evidence provided in this short communication, it can be concluded that ignoring the key role of radon in non-cancer mortality can easily affect the validity of the studies aimed at investigating the association between exposure to ambient fine particulate matter and mortality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- S M J Mortazavi
- Professor of Medical Physics, Visiting Scientist, 1. Biophotonics Lab, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, 3200 N Cramer St., Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Nyhan MM, Coull BA, Blomberg AJ, Vieira CLZ, Garshick E, Aba A, Vokonas P, Gold DR, Schwartz J, Koutrakis P. Associations Between Ambient Particle Radioactivity and Blood Pressure: The NAS (Normative Aging Study). J Am Heart Assoc 2018; 7:e008245. [PMID: 29545261 PMCID: PMC5907574 DOI: 10.1161/jaha.117.008245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Accepted: 02/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The cardiovascular effects of low-level environmental radiation exposures are poorly understood. Although particulate matter (PM) has been linked to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and elevated blood pressure (BP), the properties promoting its toxicity remain uncertain. Addressing a knowledge gap, we evaluated whether BP increased with higher exposures to radioactive components of ambient PM, herein referred to as particle radioactivity (PR). METHODS AND RESULTS We performed a repeated-measures analysis of 852 men to examine associations between PR exposure and BP using mixed-effects regression models. As a surrogate for PR, we used gross β activity, measured by the US Environmental Protection Agency's radiation monitoring network. Higher PR exposure was associated with increases in both diastolic BP and systolic BP, for exposures from 1 to 28 days. An interquartile range increase in 28-day PR exposure was associated with a 2.95-mm Hg increase in diastolic BP (95% confidence interval, 2.25-3.66; P<0.001) and a 3.94-mm Hg increase in systolic BP (95% confidence interval, 2.62-5.27; P<0.001). For models including both PR and PM ≤2.5 µm, the PR-BP associations remained stable and significant. For models including PR and black carbon or PR and particle number, the PR-BP associations were attenuated; however, they remained significant for many exposure durations. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to demonstrate the potential adverse effects of PR on both systolic and diastolic BPs. These were independent and similar in magnitude to those of PM ≤2.5 µm, black carbon, and particle number. Understanding the effects of particle-bound radionuclide exposures on BP may have important implications for environmental and public health policy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marguerite M Nyhan
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Harvard University, Boston, MA
| | - Brent A Coull
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Harvard University, Boston, MA
| | | | - Carol L Z Vieira
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Harvard University, Boston, MA
| | - Eric Garshick
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA
- Pulmonary, Allergy, Sleep, and Critical Care Medicine Section, Medical Service, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA
| | - Abdulaziz Aba
- Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Kuwait City, Kuwait
| | - Pantel Vokonas
- Pulmonary, Allergy, Sleep, and Critical Care Medicine Section, Medical Service, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA
| | - Diane R Gold
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Harvard University, Boston, MA
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA
| | - Joel Schwartz
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Harvard University, Boston, MA
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA
| | - Petros Koutrakis
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Harvard University, Boston, MA
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Rage E, Caër-Lorho S, Laurier D. Low radon exposure and mortality among Jouac uranium miners: an update of the French cohort (1946-2007). JOURNAL OF RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION 2018; 38:92-108. [PMID: 28925920 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6498/aa8d97] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
After the extension of the French cohort of uranium miners with the inclusion of workers employed in the Jouac mines, this article seeks to describe the new Jouac cohort and to estimate mortality risks, as well as to quantify their relation to radon exposure in this extended cohort. The Jouac cohort includes 458 miners hired by the Société des Mines de Jouac between 1957 and 2001. There is no measurement of radon exposure before 1978 and so no data were available. Consequently, only the post-1977 Jouac cohort (n = 314) has been included in the French cohort, creating an extended cohort of 5400 French uranium miners followed up from 1946 to 2007. Mortality analyses computed the standardised mortality ratios (SMRs). Excess relative risks (ERRs) were assessed using Poisson regression models. No evidence of a significant excess risk of overall mortality (n = 66, SMR = 0.93; 95% CI = 0.72-1.19) or any specific mortality was observed in the Jouac cohort. In the extended cohort, overall mortality did not increase, but a significant excess of deaths was observed for all cancers (SMR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.03-1.19), lung cancer (SMR = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.14-1.51), and kidney cancer (SMR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.01-2.35). Cumulative exposure to radon was 3.9 working level month (WLM) and 35.1 WLM in the post-1977 Jouac and extended cohorts, respectively. Cumulative radon exposure was significantly associated with an excess risk of death from lung cancer (ERR/100 WLM = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.32-1.33) and from cerebrovascular diseases (ERR/100 WLM = 0.42 95% CI = 0.04-1.04). In conclusion, the Jouac cohort is still a young cohort and its inclusion leads to slight modifications compared to previous analyses of the French cohort. The already known relation between radon exposure and lung cancer death as well as the excess risk of death from cerebrovascular diseases persisted in the extended cohort.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Estelle Rage
- Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), PSE-SANTE, SESANE, LEPID, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
Colin R, Grzebyk M, Wild P, Hédelin G, Bourgkard È. Bladder cancer and occupational exposure to metalworking fluid mist: a counter-matched case–control study in French steel-producing factories. Occup Environ Med 2018; 75:328-336. [DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2017-104666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Revised: 12/15/2017] [Accepted: 12/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
ObjectivesTo assess the relationship between occupational exposure to metalworking fluids (MWFs) in the steel-producing industry and bladder cancer incidence.MethodsA nested case–control study on bladder cancer was set up in a cohort of workers from six French steel-producing factories. Three controls were randomly selected for each incident bladder cancer case diagnosed from 2006 to 2012. Controls were matched to cases on age at diagnosis and counter-matched on a surrogate measure of exposure to MWFs derived from a job-exposure matrix. Cases (n=84) and controls (n=251) were face-to-face interviewed. Experts assessed occupational exposure to MWFs (straight, soluble and synthetic) using questionnaires and reports from factory visits. Occupational exposures were based on three metrics: duration, frequency-weighted duration and cumulative exposure index. Conditional multiple logistic regressions were used to determine ORs and 95% CIs, taking non-occupational and occupational exposure into account.ResultsIn the 25 years before diagnosis, ORs increased significantly with duration of exposure to straight MWFs (OR=1.13 (1.02–1.25)) and increased with frequency-weighted duration of exposure to straight MWFs (OR=1.44 (0.97–2.14)). These results remained valid after adjusting for duration of smoking, average number of cigarettes smoked per day, time since smoking cessation and exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). ORs also increased with soluble MWFs but not significantly. No significant association was found with older exposures to MWFs or with exposure to synthetic MWFs.ConclusionThe increased risk of bladder cancer observed among workers exposed to straight MWFs and to a lesser extent to soluble MWFs may be explained by the presence of carcinogens (such as PAH) in mineral oils component of straight and soluble oils. Prevention therefore remains necessary in sectors using MWFs.
Collapse
|
24
|
Zhivin S, Guseva Canu I, Davesne E, Blanchardon E, Garsi JP, Samson E, Niogret C, Zablotska LB, Laurier D. Circulatory disease in French nuclear fuel cycle workers chronically exposed to uranium: a nested case–control study. Occup Environ Med 2017; 75:270-276. [DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2017-104575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2017] [Revised: 09/28/2017] [Accepted: 10/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
ObjectivesThere is growing evidence of an association between low-dose external γ-radiation and circulatory system diseases (CSDs), yet sparse data exist about an association with chronic internal uranium exposure and the role of non-radiation risk factors. We conducted a nested case–control study of French AREVA NC Pierrelatte nuclear workers employed between 1960 and 2005 to estimate CSD risks adjusting for major CSD risk factors (smoking, blood pressure, body mass index, total cholesterol and glycaemia) and external γ-radiation dose.MethodsThe study included 102 cases of death from CSD and 416 controls individually matched on age, gender, birth cohort and socio-professional status. Information on CSD risk factors was collected from occupational medical records. Organ-specific absorbed doses were estimated using biomonitoring data, taking into account exposure regime and uranium physicochemical properties. External γ-radiation was measured by individual dosimeter badges. Analysis was conducted with conditional logistic regression.ResultsWorkers were exposed to very low radiation doses (mean γ-radiation dose 2 and lung uranium dose 1 mGy). A positive but imprecise association was observed (excess OR per mGy 0.2, 95% CI 0.004 to 0.5). Results obtained after adjustment suggest that uranium exposure might be an independent CSD risk factor.ConclusionsOur results suggest that a positive association might exist between internal uranium exposure and CSD mortality, not confounded by CSD risk factors. Future work should focus on numerous uncertainties associated with internal uranium dose estimation and on understanding biological pathway of CSD after protracted low-dose internal radiation exposure.
Collapse
|
25
|
Gillies M, Richardson DB, Cardis E, Daniels RD, O’Hagan JA, Haylock R, Laurier D, Leuraud K, Moissonnier M, Schubauer-Berigan MK, Thierry-Chef I, Kesminiene A. Mortality from Circulatory Diseases and other Non-Cancer Outcomes among Nuclear Workers in France, the United Kingdom and the United States (INWORKS). Radiat Res 2017; 188:276-290. [PMID: 28692406 PMCID: PMC5651512 DOI: 10.1667/rr14608.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Positive associations between external radiation dose and non-cancer mortality have been found in a number of published studies, primarily of populations exposed to high-dose, high-dose-rate ionizing radiation. The goal of this study was to determine whether external radiation dose was associated with non-cancer mortality in a large pooled cohort of nuclear workers exposed to low-dose radiation accumulated at low dose rates. The cohort comprised 308,297 workers from France, United Kingdom and United States. The average cumulative equivalent dose at a tissue depth of 10 mm [Hp(10)] was 25.2 mSv. In total, 22% of the cohort were deceased by the end of follow-up, with 46,029 deaths attributed to non-cancer outcomes, including 27,848 deaths attributed to circulatory diseases. Poisson regression was used to investigate the relationship between cumulative radiation dose and non-cancer mortality rates. A statistically significant association between radiation dose and all non-cancer causes of death was observed [excess relative risk per sievert (ERR/Sv) = 0.19; 90% CI: 0.07, 0.30]. This was largely driven by the association between radiation dose and mortality due to circulatory diseases (ERR/Sv = 0.22; 90% CI: 0.08, 0.37), with slightly smaller positive, but nonsignificant, point estimates for mortality due to nonmalignant respiratory disease (ERR/Sv = 0.13; 90% CI: -0.17, 0.47) and digestive disease (ERR/Sv = 0.11; 90% CI: -0.36, 0.69). The point estimate for the association between radiation dose and deaths due to external causes of death was nonsignificantly negative (ERR = -0.12; 90% CI: <-0.60, 0.45). Within circulatory disease subtypes, associations with dose were observed for mortality due to cerebrovascular disease (ERR/Sv = 0.50; 90% CI: 0.12, 0.94) and mortality due to ischemic heart disease (ERR/Sv = 0.18; 90% CI: 0.004, 0.36). The estimates of associations between radiation dose and non-cancer mortality are generally consistent with those observed in atomic bomb survivor studies. The findings of this study could be interpreted as providing further evidence that non-cancer disease risks may be increased by external radiation exposure, particularly for ischemic heart disease and cerebrovascular disease. However, heterogeneity in the estimated ERR/Sv was observed, which warrants further investigation. Further follow-up of these cohorts, with the inclusion of internal exposure information and other potential confounders associated with lifestyle factors, may prove informative, as will further work on elucidating the biological mechanisms that might cause these non-cancer effects at low doses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Gillies
- Public Health England Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards (PHE-CRCE), Chilton, United Kingdom
| | - David B. Richardson
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Elisabeth Cardis
- ISGlobal, Center for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Robert D. Daniels
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Jacqueline A. O’Hagan
- Public Health England Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards (PHE-CRCE), Chilton, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Haylock
- Public Health England Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards (PHE-CRCE), Chilton, United Kingdom
| | - Dominique Laurier
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PRP-HOM/SRBE/LEPID, 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Klervi Leuraud
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PRP-HOM/SRBE/LEPID, 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
26
|
First mortality analysis in the French cohort of uranium millers (F-Millers), period 1968–2013. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2017; 91:23-33. [DOI: 10.1007/s00420-017-1254-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2017] [Accepted: 08/16/2017] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
|
27
|
Guéguen Y, Roy L, Hornhardt S, Badie C, Hall J, Baatout S, Pernot E, Tomasek L, Laurent O, Ebrahimian T, Ibanez C, Grison S, Kabacik S, Laurier D, Gomolka M. Biomarkers for Uranium Risk Assessment for the Development of the CURE (Concerted Uranium Research in Europe) Molecular Epidemiological Protocol. Radiat Res 2017; 187:107-127. [DOI: 10.1667/rr14505.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
|
28
|
Laurent O, Gomolka M, Haylock R, Blanchardon E, Giussani A, Atkinson W, Baatout S, Bingham D, Cardis E, Hall J, Tomasek L, Ancelet S, Badie C, Bethel G, Bertho JM, Bouet S, Bull R, Challeton-de Vathaire C, Cockerill R, Davesne E, Ebrahimian T, Engels H, Gillies M, Grellier J, Grison S, Gueguen Y, Hornhardt S, Ibanez C, Kabacik S, Kotik L, Kreuzer M, Lebacq AL, Marsh J, Nosske D, O'Hagan J, Pernot E, Puncher M, Rage E, Riddell T, Roy L, Samson E, Souidi M, Turner MC, Zhivin S, Laurier D. Concerted Uranium Research in Europe (CURE): toward a collaborative project integrating dosimetry, epidemiology and radiobiology to study the effects of occupational uranium exposure. JOURNAL OF RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION 2016; 36:319-345. [PMID: 27183135 DOI: 10.1088/0952-4746/36/2/319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The potential health impacts of chronic exposures to uranium, as they occur in occupational settings, are not well characterized. Most epidemiological studies have been limited by small sample sizes, and a lack of harmonization of methods used to quantify radiation doses resulting from uranium exposure. Experimental studies have shown that uranium has biological effects, but their implications for human health are not clear. New studies that would combine the strengths of large, well-designed epidemiological datasets with those of state-of-the-art biological methods would help improve the characterization of the biological and health effects of occupational uranium exposure. The aim of the European Commission concerted action CURE (Concerted Uranium Research in Europe) was to develop protocols for such a future collaborative research project, in which dosimetry, epidemiology and biology would be integrated to better characterize the effects of occupational uranium exposure. These protocols were developed from existing European cohorts of workers exposed to uranium together with expertise in epidemiology, biology and dosimetry of CURE partner institutions. The preparatory work of CURE should allow a large scale collaborative project to be launched, in order to better characterize the effects of uranium exposure and more generally of alpha particles and low doses of ionizing radiation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Laurent
- Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), Fontenay aux Roses, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|