Ischaemic heart disease mortality study among workers with occupational exposure to ammonium perfluorooctanoate.

OBJECTIVES: Ammonium perfluorooctanoate (APFO) is a biopersistent surfactant used in the manufacture of several types of fluoropolymers. Based on previous findings of increased serum lipid levels associated with exposure to APFO, we evaluated ischaemic heart disease (IHD) mortality in a cohort of occupationally exposed workers. METHODS: Relative risks (RR) were estimated from exposure-response analyses of cumulative exposure measures using proportional hazards regression models. RESULTS: 239 IHD deaths have occurred in the cohort of 4747 workers with work histories from 1948 through 2002. RR estimates indicate no statistically significant increased mortality risk for IHD associated with estimated cumulative exposure. We observed a positive trend only at an exposure lag of 10 years. This finding was not reproduced in other 5-year exposure lags and was attenuated when different cutpoints for exposure categorisation were used. CONCLUSION: This exposure-response study shows no convincing evidence of increased IHD mortality risk for APFO-exposed workers at this plant. Further studies evaluating the incidence of IHD are being conducted.

[Chronic hyperesthesia in rats caused by lesions in the dorsal roots of the branchial plexus]. / Hyperesthésies chroniques provoquées chez le rat par la lésion de racines dorsales du plexus brachial.

Traumatic avulsions of the brachial plexus in Man is followed by development of hyperesthesia which is known to be reistant to pharmacological medication. We have been able to reproduce this syndrome in the Rat and have used this disturbed animal as a model. This model will give us the possibility of studying nervous mechanisms responsible for these abnormal pains and to look for effective treatments.