RESUMO
This study investigated the influence of gene-gene and gene-environment interactions on the risk of developing asbestosis. The study comprised 262 cases with asbestosis and 265 controls with no asbestos-related disease previously studied for MnSOD, ECSOD, CAT, GSTT1, GSTM1, GSTP1, and iNOS polymorphisms. Data on cumulative asbestos and smoking were available for all subjects. To assess gene-gene and gene-environmental interactions, logistic regression was used. The associations between MnSOD Ala -9Val polymorphism and the risk of asbestosis and between iNOS genotypes and asbestosis were modified by CAT -262 C > T polymorphism (P = 0.038; P = 0.031). A strong interaction was found between GSTM1-null polymorphism and smoking (P = 0.007), iNOS (CCTTT) n polymorphism and smoking (P = 0.054), and between iNOS (CCTTT) n polymorphism and cumulative asbestos exposure (P = 0.037). The findings of this study suggest that the interactions between different genotypes, genotypes and smoking, and between genotypes and asbestos exposure have an important influence on the development of asbestosis and should be seriously considered in future research on occupational/environmental asbestos-related diseases.
Assuntos
Asbestose/genética , Epistasia Genética , Interação Gene-Ambiente , Predisposição Genética para Doença , Asbestose/enzimologia , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Catalase/genética , Feminino , Glutationa S-Transferase pi/genética , Glutationa Transferase/genética , Humanos , Modelos Logísticos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Óxido Nítrico Sintase Tipo II/genética , Fatores de Risco , Fumar/genética , Superóxido Dismutase/genéticaRESUMO
A lung cancer case-control study was conducted in a Slovenian asbestos-cement factory for which unusually good records of asbestos exposures were available. The cohort consisted of all 6714 workers employed at the Salonit Anhovo factory after 31 December 1946 who worked there for at least one day between 1964 and 1994. Fifty-eight histologically confirmed cases of primary lung cancer and 290 controls were selected from the cohort. Working life exposure histories to amphibole and chrysotile forms of asbestos were estimated separately. Airborne asbestos concentrations were low. For example, the arithmetic mean exposure to all forms of asbestos in the highest exposure period (1947-1971) was 1.2 f/cm(3). Chrysotile asbestos made up about 90% of this exposure (mean 1.1 f/cm(3)), whereas amphibole accounted for 10% (0.1 f/cm(3)). Comparing those above and below the 90 percentile of cumulative exposure, the odds ratios for all asbestos, chrysotile and amphibole were 1.5, 1.6 and 2.0, respectively, but confidence intervals were wide. There are only a few asbestos-lung cancer studies with high-quality exposure data and exposures in this low range. Though imprecise, the findings are important to the ongoing debate about asbestos risks.
Assuntos
Amiantos Anfibólicos/toxicidade , Asbestos Serpentinas/toxicidade , Carcinógenos/toxicidade , Neoplasias Pulmonares/epidemiologia , Doenças Profissionais/epidemiologia , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Indústria Química , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Exposição Ocupacional/efeitos adversos , Medição de Risco/métodos , Eslovênia/epidemiologia , Fumar/efeitos adversos , Fatores de TempoRESUMO
The short-term effects of nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)) on total, cardiovascular and respiratory mortality in 30 European cities participating in the Air Pollution on Health: a European Approach (APHEA)-2 project were investigated. The association was examined using hierarchical models implemented in two stages. In the first stage, data from each city were analysed separately, whereas in the second stage, the city-specific air pollution estimates were regressed on city-specific covariates to obtain overall estimates and to explore sources of possible heterogeneity. A significant association of NO(2) with total, cardiovascular and respiratory mortality was found, with stronger effects on cause-specific mortality. There was evidence of confounding in respiratory mortality with black smoke and sulphur dioxide. The effect of NO(2) on total and cardiovascular mortality was observed mainly in western and southern European cities, and was larger when smoking prevalence was lower and household gas consumption was higher. The effect of NO(2) on respiratory mortality was higher in cities with a larger proportion of elderly persons in the population and higher levels of particulate matter with a 50% cut-off aerodynamic diameter of 10 mum. The results of this large study are consistent with an independent effect of nitrogen dioxide on mortality, but the role of nitrogen dioxide as a surrogate of other unmeasured pollutants cannot be completely ruled out.
Assuntos
Poluentes Atmosféricos/toxicidade , Doenças Cardiovasculares/mortalidade , Causas de Morte , Dióxido de Nitrogênio/toxicidade , Doenças Respiratórias/mortalidade , População Urbana/estatística & dados numéricos , Comparação Transcultural , Poeira , Europa (Continente)/epidemiologia , Humanos , Modelos Estatísticos , Fumaça , Fumar/efeitos adversos , Fumar/mortalidade , Estatística como Assunto , Dióxido de Enxofre/toxicidadeRESUMO
The health risks facing workers involved in decommissioning nuclear facilities are a critical concern as the nuclear weapons complex and nuclear power plants begin to be dismantled. In addition to risks from exposure to radioactive materials, there are risks from other common industrial materials like crystalline silica dust and asbestos. We discuss these issues in the context of recent research on the risk of low-level ionizing radiation, the classification of crystalline silica as a carcinogen, and early experience with decommissioning nuclear facilities in the United States. Health and safety advocates will need to be vigilant to prevent worker exposure.
