Cancer and noncancer mortality among American seafood workers.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have investigated mortality in seafood workers worldwide, and no such study has been conducted in the United States. The objective of this study was to investigate mortality in American seafood workers. METHODS: The study population was derived from 4 states and consisted of 4116 subjects who worked mainly in seafood processing plants. They were followed up from 1966 to 2003. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) and proportional mortality ratios (PMRs) were estimated, using the US general population for comparison. RESULTS: About 45% of the cohort was born after 1949. A total of 788 deaths were recorded; 53% of the decedents were female, and 88% were white. The SMRs for stomach cancer and disorders of the thyroid gland in the cohort as a whole were 2.1 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-3.8) and 6.1 (95% CI 1.3-18.0), respectively. The SMRs for breast cancer, and occlusion/stenosis of the pre-cerebral/cerebral arteries in the cohort as a whole were 0.5 (95% CI, 0.3-0.9) and 0.5 (95% CI, 0.2-0.8), respectively. The SMR for ischemic heart disease in white females was 0.8 (95% CI, 0.6-0.9). CONCLUSIONS: This cohort had excess deaths from stomach cancer and disorders of the thyroid gland, and deficit of deaths from breast cancer, stroke and ischemic heart disease. The significance of these findings is unknown, especially as less than 20% of the cohort were deceased. Nevertheless, the cohort is unique and important, and further follow-up may shed more light on mortality patterns in this occupational group.

The association of the metabolic syndrome with T-wave axis deviation in NHANES III.

PURPOSE: We sought to study the association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and abnormal T-wave axis deviation. METHODS: A representative sample of the adult U.S. population, 3810 individuals 40 years of age or older, was categorized as having metabolic syndrome and not having the syndrome as defined by Adult Treatment Panel III. T-wave axis deviation was measured from the standard 12-lead electrocardiogram. RESULTS: The odds of having abnormal T-wave axis deviation was calculated for those with metabolic syndrome versus those without after multivariable adjustment for age, race, daily alcohol consumption, body mass index categories, left ventricular hypertrophy, and heart rate. In multivariable weighted regression analysis, the odds were 2.03 times greater in those persons with MetS compared to those without (odds ratio, 1.79; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-3.11). The population-attributable risk percentage of abnormal T-wave axis deviation associated with MetS was 23.94%. Additionally, a graded relationship was observed between the number of MetS components and the odds ratio of abnormal T-wave axis (p trend < 0.01). CONCLUSION: These data indicate that MetS is independently associated with an abnormal T-wave axis shift. This study calls for careful electrocardiographic monitoring among persons with MetS for early detection of abnormal T-wave axis in clinical practice to prevent severe and often fatal arrhythmias.

Consumption of different types of meat and the risk of renal cancer: meta-analysis of case-control studies.

BACKGROUND: Kidney cancers account for almost 2% of all cancers worldwide, with 150,000 new cases and 78,000 deaths from the disease occurring annually. An increase in the incidence of kidney neoplasm in western countries was noticed in the past few years. Between 1988 and 1992, the incidence of renal cancer per 100,000 person-year among males in USA, Norway, and France was 34.1, 9.00, and 16.10, respectively. Among females in the same countries, it was 5.70, 5.00, and 7.30, respectively. Although several individual case-control studies examined the association of meat intake and renal cancer risk, the results were inconsistent because of the insufficient statistical power of the individual studies. Therefore, the following meta-analysis was designed to help in clarifying the association. METHODS: Electronic search of MEDLINE, OVID, and PUBMED databases which have articles published between (1966 and 2006) was conducted to select studies for this meta-analysis. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Fixed and random-effects meta-analytical techniques were used to estimate the overall association between meat consumption and kidney cancer. RESULTS: Thirteen case-control studies were found. This meta-analysis supported a positive relationship between meat consumption and risk of renal cancer. Summary results indicated that there was from 20% to 22% higher risk of renal cancer among those in the highest relative to the lowest category of poultry and processed meat consumption. Consumption of all meat and red meat was associated with 27% and 30% higher risk, respectively. The increased risks were statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Increased consumption of all meat, red meat, poultry, and processed meat is associated with an increase risk of kidney cancer. Reduction of meat consumption is an important approach to decreasing the incidence of kidney cancer in the general population.