A Nested Case Control Study of Leukaemia and Ionising Radiation at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard

Details

• Personal Author:
  Chen P ; Couch, James R. ; Daniels R ; Kinnes, Gregory M. ; Kubale, Travis L. ; Nowlin S ; Schubauer-Berigan, Mary K. ; Silver S ; Yiin J
• Description:
  Introduction: Previous studies of workers at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNS) produced differing results for the relation between external ionising radiation exposure and leukaemia mortality. This case control study analysed this relation using novel exposure assessment methods for external radiation, including work related medical x rays. The study also included more thorough evaluation of benzene and carbon tetrachloride exposures. Methods: This study employed a nested case control design, with 115 leukaemia cases and 460 age matched controls. Radiation exposures from all occupational sources including work related medical x rays were assessed for the analysis. The potential for benzene and carbon tetrachloride exposure was assessed using workers' job information and industrial hygiene records. Conditional logistic regression was used to analyse the exposure-response relation between external ionising radiation exposure and leukaemia mortality. Results: A significant positive association was found between leukaemia mortality and external ionising whole-body radiation exposure (OR = 1.08 at 10 mSv; 95% CI 1.01 to 1.16) adjusting for sex, radiation worker status, and benzene or carbon tetrachloride exposure duration. Benzene or carbon tetrachloride exposure duration was also found to be significantly associated with leukemia mortality (OR = 1.03 at one year of exposure; 95% CI 1.01 to 1.06). The incorporation of estimated doses from work related medical x-ray exposures did not change the leukaemia risk estimate per unit of exposure. Conclusions: This study found that workplace exposure to external ionising radiation was associated with increased risk of death from leukaemia among PNS workers. Although confidence intervals are wide, the estimates of risk per unit of exposure found in this study are greater than those observed in the extensive risk analyses of A-bomb survivor and medical therapy studies. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Benzene Blood Environmental Monitoring Hematologic Diseases Hydrocarbons Mortality Occupational Health Radiation Radiography Risk Assessment Safety Ships

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• Keywords:
  Benzenes Blood-disorders Chlorinated-hydrocarbons Exposure-assessment Ionizing-radiation Leukemogenesis Medical-examinations Mortality-data Risk-analysis Shipyard-workers Shipyards Statistical-analysis X-ray-absorption

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• ISSN:
  1351-0711
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Maryland ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  62
• Issue:
  11
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20028796
• Citation:
  Occup Environ Med 2005 Nov; 62(11):e25
• Contact Point Address:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45226
• CAS Registry Number:
  Benzene (CAS RN 71-43-2) ; Carbon tetrachloride (CAS RN 56-23-5)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2006
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:30cd0e0dda5d20387c4b821a8e4d006b3dda7b770373d05402b8154e6509196fb146b08983da0e613371452fded6f1ea043b127aa21f6597cb7c92ff6ba49ba3
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/189922/cdc_189922_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 44.04 KB ]