Mortality among uranium miners in North America and Europe: the Pooled Uranium Miners Analysis (PUMA).
Radon
cohort studies
mortality study
occupational diseases
uranium miners
Journal
International journal of epidemiology
ISSN: 1464-3685
Titre abrégé: Int J Epidemiol
Pays: England
ID NLM: 7802871
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
17 05 2021
17 05 2021
Historique:
accepted:
10
09
2020
pubmed:
25
11
2020
medline:
8
7
2021
entrez:
24
11
2020
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
The Pooled Uranium Miners Analysis (PUMA) study draws together information from cohorts of uranium miners from Canada, the Czech Republic, France, Germany and the USA. Vital status and cause of death were ascertained and compared with expectations based upon national mortality rates by computing standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) overall and by categories of time since first hire, calendar period of first employment and duration of employment as a miner. There were 51 787 deaths observed among 118 329 male miners [SMR = 1.05; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04, 1.06]. The SMR was elevated for all cancers (n = 16 633, SMR = 1.23; 95% CI: 1.21, 1.25), due primarily to excess mortality from cancers of the lung (n = 7756, SMR = 1.90; 95% CI: 1.86, 1.94), liver and gallbladder (n = 549, SMR = 1.15; 95% CI: 1.06, 1.25), larynx (n = 229, SMR = 1.10; 95% CI: 0.97, 1.26), stomach (n = 1058, SMR = 1.08; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.15) and pleura (n = 39, SMR = 1.06; 95% CI: 0.75, 1.44). Lung-cancer SMRs increased with duration of employment, decreased with calendar period and persisted with time since first hire. Among non-malignant causes, the SMR was elevated for external causes (n = 3362, SMR = 1.41; 95% CI: 1.36, 1.46) and respiratory diseases (n = 4508, SMR = 1.32; 95% CI: 1.28, 1.36), most notably silicosis (n = 814, SMR = 13.56; 95% CI: 12.64, 14.52), but not chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (n = 1729, SMR = 0.98; 95% CI: 0.93, 1.02). Whereas there are important obstacles to the ability to detect adverse effects of occupational exposures via SMR analyses, PUMA provides evidence of excess mortality among uranium miners due to a range of categories of cause of death. The persistent elevation of SMRs with time since first hire as a uranium miner underscores the importance of long-term follow-up of these workers.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
The Pooled Uranium Miners Analysis (PUMA) study draws together information from cohorts of uranium miners from Canada, the Czech Republic, France, Germany and the USA.
METHODS
Vital status and cause of death were ascertained and compared with expectations based upon national mortality rates by computing standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) overall and by categories of time since first hire, calendar period of first employment and duration of employment as a miner.
RESULTS
There were 51 787 deaths observed among 118 329 male miners [SMR = 1.05; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04, 1.06]. The SMR was elevated for all cancers (n = 16 633, SMR = 1.23; 95% CI: 1.21, 1.25), due primarily to excess mortality from cancers of the lung (n = 7756, SMR = 1.90; 95% CI: 1.86, 1.94), liver and gallbladder (n = 549, SMR = 1.15; 95% CI: 1.06, 1.25), larynx (n = 229, SMR = 1.10; 95% CI: 0.97, 1.26), stomach (n = 1058, SMR = 1.08; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.15) and pleura (n = 39, SMR = 1.06; 95% CI: 0.75, 1.44). Lung-cancer SMRs increased with duration of employment, decreased with calendar period and persisted with time since first hire. Among non-malignant causes, the SMR was elevated for external causes (n = 3362, SMR = 1.41; 95% CI: 1.36, 1.46) and respiratory diseases (n = 4508, SMR = 1.32; 95% CI: 1.28, 1.36), most notably silicosis (n = 814, SMR = 13.56; 95% CI: 12.64, 14.52), but not chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (n = 1729, SMR = 0.98; 95% CI: 0.93, 1.02).
CONCLUSIONS
Whereas there are important obstacles to the ability to detect adverse effects of occupational exposures via SMR analyses, PUMA provides evidence of excess mortality among uranium miners due to a range of categories of cause of death. The persistent elevation of SMRs with time since first hire as a uranium miner underscores the importance of long-term follow-up of these workers.
Identifiants
pubmed: 33232447
pii: 6000270
doi: 10.1093/ije/dyaa195
doi:
Substances chimiques
Uranium
4OC371KSTK
Radon
Q74S4N8N1G
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
633-643Subventions
Organisme : NIOSH CDC HHS
ID : R03 OH010946
Pays : United States
Organisme : NIOSH CDC HHS
ID : R21 OH011452
Pays : United States
Informations de copyright
© The Author(s) 2020; all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association.