| Document ID (ISN) | 59075 |
| CIS number |
92-1906 |
| ISSN - Serial title |
0300-5771 - International Journal of Epidemiology |
| Year |
1991 |
| Convention or series no. |
|
| Author(s) |
Michaels D., Zoloth S.R., Stern F.B. |
| Title |
Does low-level lead exposure increase risk of death? - A mortality study of newspaper printers |
| Bibliographic information |
Dec. 1991, Vol.20, No.4, p.978-983. 40 ref. |
| Abstract |
This study examined the mortality of newspaper typesetters (N=1,261) followed from 1961 to 1984, in order to investigate the effects of low-level lead exposure. Standardised Mortality Ratios (SMRs) were calculated using New York City comparison rates. The all-cause SMR was 0.74, significantly different from 1.00. Other statistically significant deficits were deaths from arteriosclerotic heart disease (SMR=0.63) and non-malignant diseases of the respiratory system (SMR=0.57) and digestive system (SMR=0.65). These can be attributed to the comparison bias known as the healthy worker effect. The SMR for cerebrovascular disease (CVD) was 1.35, on the edge of statistical significance. For those printers employed for 30 years or more, the CVD SMR was 1.68. No significant excesses were seen for any other cause of death in any exposure stratum. These findings suggest the possibility that lead exposure at levels below the current US permissible exposure limit (PEL) may also be associated with CVD mortality. |
| Descriptors (primary) |
printing and duplicating; composition; mortality; lead |
| Descriptors (secondary) |
healthy worker effect; USA; long-term exposure; circulatory disorders of the brain; epidemiologic study; New York |
| Document type |
D - Periodical articles |
| Country / State or Province | USA |
| Subject(s) |
Paper-making and printing
|
| Broad subject area(s) |
Occupational medicine, epidemiology
|
| Browse category(ies) |
Inorganic substances
Printing, photography and photocopying industry
Lead and compounds
|
