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Effects of indium exposure on respiratory symptoms: a retrospective cohort study in Japanese workers using health checkup data.

ABSTRACT: Background:Indium compounds are known health hazards for lung cancer and interstitial pneumonia. Furthermore, they are related to emphysema, alveolar proteinosis, and cholesterol granuloma. In Japan, laws were revised in 2013 to tighten regulations on indium exposure in workplaces. However, its impact on the health of workers who handle indium has not been evaluated. This study aimed to investigate whether subjective respiratory symptoms in these workers have reduced after the 2013 amendment in the regulations. Methods:The subjects were workers from certain areas of Japan who had undergone health checkups between January 1, 2013, and June 30, 2015. Indium-handling and non-handling workers were categorized into the exposed and less-exposed groups, respectively. Based on the findings of health checkups during this period, the hazard ratio of subjective respiratory symptoms (cough, sputum production, shortness of breath, and palpitation) and its 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated with the less-exposed group as the reference. The Prentice-Williams-Peterson model was used for calculation, and a model that adjusted for coarse analysis and potential confounding factors was adopted. Results:Overall, 2,561 workers (from 22 companies) who underwent 6,033 health checkups were included. The total person-years were 2,562.8 years, and 162 outcome events occurred. The hazard ratios of the exposed group were 1.65 (95% CI [1.14-2.39]: p = 0.008) and 1.61 (95% CI [1.04-2.50]: p = 0.032) in the crude and adjusted models, respectively. Conclusion:Indium-handling workers had a high hazard of the subjective respiratory symptoms than non-indium -handling workers despite stricter regulations on indium exposure in workplaces. This indicates the need for further changes to the legislation to protect the health of workers exposed to harmful substances in workplaces. Further studies including larger diverse cohorts are needed to validate our findings.

SUBMITTER: Mitsuhashi T

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6969551 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Effects of indium exposure on respiratory symptoms: a retrospective cohort study in Japanese workers using health checkup data.

Mitsuhashi Toshiharu T

PeerJ 20200115

<h4>Background</h4>Indium compounds are known health hazards for lung cancer and interstitial pneumonia. Furthermore, they are related to emphysema, alveolar proteinosis, and cholesterol granuloma. In Japan, laws were revised in 2013 to tighten regulations on indium exposure in workplaces. However, its impact on the health of workers who handle indium has not been evaluated. This study aimed to investigate whether subjective respiratory symptoms in these workers have reduced after the 2013 amend ...[more]

PMID: 31988812

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Project description:BackgroundAlthough pesticide use is widespread, the possible effect of early-life exposure to organophosphate (OP) on pediatric respiratory health is not well described.ObjectivesWe investigated the relationship between early-life exposure to OPs and respiratory outcomes.MethodsParticipants included 359 mothers and children from the CHAMACOS birth cohort. Dialkyl phosphate (DAP) metabolites of OP pesticides, specifically diethyl (DE) and dimethyl (DM) phosphate metabolites, were measured in urine from mothers twice during pregnancy (mean = 13 and 26 weeks gestation) and from children five times during childhood (0.5-5 years). Childhood DAP concentrations were estimated by the area under curve (AUC). Mothers reported their child's respiratory symptoms at 5 and 7 years of age. We used generalized estimating equations (GEE) to examine associations of prenatal and childhood DAP concentrations with repeated measures of respiratory symptoms and exercise-induced coughing at 5 and 7 years of age, adjusting for child's sex and age, maternal smoking during pregnancy, secondhand tobacco smoke, season of birth, PM2.5, breastfeeding, mold and cockroaches in home, and distance from highway.ResultsHigher prenatal DAP concentrations, particularly DE, were nonsignificantly associated with respiratory symptoms in the previous 12 months at 5 or 7 years of age [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) per 10-fold increase = 1.44; 95% CI: 0.98, 2.12]. This association was strongest with total DAP and DE from the second half of pregnancy (aOR per 10-fold increase = 1.77; 95% CI: 1.06, 2.95; and 1.61; 95% CI: 1.08, 2.39, respectively). Childhood DAP, DE, and DM concentrations were associated with respiratory symptoms and exercise-induced coughing in the previous 12 months at 5 or 7 years of age (total DAPs: aOR per 10-fold increase = 2.53; 95% CI: 1.32, 4.86; and aOR = 5.40; 95% CI: 2.10, 13.91, respectively).ConclusionsEarly-life exposure to OP pesticides was associated with respiratory symptoms consistent with possible asthma in childhood.

Dataset Information

Effects of indium exposure on respiratory symptoms: a retrospective cohort study in Japanese workers using health checkup data.

Publications

Effects of indium exposure on respiratory symptoms: a retrospective cohort study in Japanese workers using health checkup data.

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