| 1. |
- Sommar, Johan Nilsson, et al.
(författare)
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Investigation of lead concentrations in whole blood, plasma and urine as biomarkers for biological monitoring of lead exposure
- 2014
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Ingår i: Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1559-064X .- 1559-0631. ; 24:1, s. 51-57
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Lead in blood is a major concept in biomonitoring of exposure but investigations of its alternatives are scarce. The aim of the study was to describe different lead biomarkers' variances, day-to-day and between individuals, estimating their fraction of the total variance. Repeated sampling of whole blood, plasma and urine were conducted for 48 lead-exposed men and 20 individuals under normal environmental lead exposure, in total 603 measurements. For lead workers, the fraction of the total variance attributed to differences between individuals was 91% for whole-blood lead (geometric mean 227 mg/l; geometric standard deviation (GSD): 1.55 mg/l); plasma 78% (0.57 mg/l; GSD: 1.84 mg/l); density-adjusted urine 82%; and unadjusted urine 75% (23.7 mg/l; GSD: 2.48 mg/l). For the individuals under normal lead exposure, the corresponding fractions were 95% of the total variance for whole blood (20.7 mg/l; GSD: 8.6 mg/l), 15% for plasma (0.09 mg/l; GSD: 0.04 mg/l), 87% for creatinine-adjusted urine and 34% for unadjusted (10.8 mg/l; GSD: 6.7 mg/l). Lead concentration in whole blood is the biomarker with the best ability to discriminate between individuals with different mean concentration. Urinary and plasma lead also performed acceptably in lead workers, but at low exposures plasma lead was too imprecise. Urinary adjustments appear not to increase the between-individual fraction of the total variance among lead workers but among those with normal lead exposure.
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| 2. |
- Ahlroth Pind, Caroline, et al.
(författare)
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Patient-reported signs of dampness at home may be a risk factor for chronic rhinosinusitis : A cross-sectional study
- 2017
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Ingår i: Clinical and Experimental Allergy. - Hoboken : Wiley. - 0954-7894 .- 1365-2222. ; 47:11, s. 1383-1389
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: An association between dampness at home and respiratory conditions has been convincingly demonstrated in children. Fewer studies have been performed in adults, and data are lacking for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). With a prevalence of 10.9% in Europe, CRS imposes a significant burden on quality of life, as well as economy.OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to study CRS and other respiratory conditions in relation to dampness at home in a representative sample of adults.METHODS: The Swedish GA2 LEN questionnaire was answered by 26 577 adults (16-75 years) and included questions on respiratory symptoms, smoking, education and environmental exposure. CRS was defined according to the EP3 OS criteria. Dampness was defined as reporting water damage, floor dampness or visible moulds in the home during the last 12 months. The dampness score was ranked from 0 to 3, counting the number of signs of dampness reported.RESULTS: Dampness at home was reported by 11.3% and was independently related to respiratory conditions after adjustment for demographic and socio-economic factors and smoking: CRS odds ratio (OR) 1.71; allergic rhinitis OR 1.24; current asthma OR 1.21; wheeze OR 1.37; nocturnal dyspnoea OR 1.80; nocturnal coughing OR 1.34; and chronic bronchitis OR 1.64. The risk of CRS and most of the other respiratory conditions was further elevated in subjects reporting multiple signs of dampness.CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study demonstrated an independent association between dampness at home and CRS in adults. The high burden of this and the other respiratory conditions studied is a strong argument in favour of countering indoor dampness by improving building standards.
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| 3. |
- Alm, Stina, et al.
(författare)
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Erythrocyte transfusions increased the risk of elevated serum ferritin in very low birth weight infants and were associated with altered longitudinal growth
- 2020
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Ingår i: Acta Paediatrica. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0803-5253 .- 1651-2227. ; 109:7, s. 1354-1360
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aim: There has been a lack of population‐based longitudinal data on serum ferritin in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants during hospitalisation. Our aim was to fill this gap in the knowledge and investigate risk factors for elevated serum ferritin and associations between erythrocyte transfusions and longitudinal growth.Methods: We retrospectively reviewed longitudinal data on 126 VLBW infants treated at Umeå University Hospital, Sweden, between 2010‐2013.Results: The infants’ mean gestational age and birth weight were 26.9 weeks and 899 grams. Most (91%) received erythrocyte transfusions and the majority had multiple erythrocyte transfusions. There was a significant correlation between serum ferritin and the volume of transfusions. Almost two‐thirds had at least one serum ferritin measurement of more than 350 µg/L, indicating iron overload. In those with complete anthropometric data (n=78) there was no significant effect of serum ferritin concentrations in relation to longitudinal growth, but there was a positive association between the erythrocyte transfusion dose and longitudinal growth in VLBW infants born before 25 weeks.Conclusion: This is the first population‐based study to investigate longitudinal data on serum ferritin in VLBW infants during hospitalisation. The unexpected positive finding in the subgroup born at less than 25 weeks needs further research with a larger cohort.
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| 4. |
- Andersen, Zorana J., et al.
(författare)
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Long-term Exposure to Ambient Air Pollution and Incidence of Brain Tumor : the European Study of Cohorts for Air Pollution Effects (ESCAPE)
- 2018
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Ingår i: Neuro-Oncology. - : Oxford University Press. - 1522-8517 .- 1523-5866. ; 20:3, s. 420-432
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Epidemiological evidence on the association between ambient air pollution and brain tumor risk is sparse and inconsistent.Methods: In 12 cohorts from 6 European countries, individual estimates of annual mean air pollution levels at the baseline residence were estimated by standardized land-use regression models developed within the ESCAPE and TRANSPHORM projects: particulate matter (PM) ≤2.5, ≤10, and 2.5–10 μm in diameter (PM2.5, PM10, and PMcoarse), PM2.5 absorbance, nitrogen oxides (NO2 and NOx) and elemental composition of PM. We estimated cohort-specific associations of air pollutant concentrations and traffic intensity with total, malignant, and nonmalignant brain tumor, in separate Cox regression models, adjusting for risk factors, and pooled cohort-specific estimates using random-effects meta-analyses.Results: Of 282194 subjects from 12 cohorts, 466 developed malignant brain tumors during 12 years of follow-up. Six of the cohorts also had data on nonmalignant brain tumor, where among 106786 subjects, 366 developed brain tumor: 176 nonmalignant and 190 malignant. We found a positive, statistically nonsignificant association between malignant brain tumor and PM2.5 absorbance (hazard ratio and 95% CI: 1.67; 0.89–3.14 per 10–5/m3), and weak positive or null associations with the other pollutants. Hazard ratio for PM2.5 absorbance (1.01; 0.38–2.71 per 10–5/m3) and all other pollutants were lower for nonmalignant than for malignant brain tumors.Conclusion: We found suggestive evidence of an association between long-term exposure to PM2.5 absorbance indicating traffic-related air pollution and malignant brain tumors, and no association with overall or nonmalignant brain tumors.
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| 5. |
- Claeson, Anna-Sara, 1974-, et al.
(författare)
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Symptoms and oxylipins in plasma before and after exposure to rooms in which individuals have both experienced and not experienced building- related symptoms – an exploratory study
- 2022
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Ingår i: International Journal of Environmental Health Research. - : Taylor & Francis Group. - 0960-3123 .- 1369-1619. ; 32:12, s. 2756-2766
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this study was to investigate if there are differences in symptom ratings and plasma concentrations of oxylipins as a measure of acute inflammation between individuals with building-related symptoms (BRS) and referents during exposure to rooms where people experienced BRS and rooms where they did not experience BRS. Medically examined individuals with BRS and healthy, age and sex matched referents working in the same building were exposed for 60 min. Ratings of symptoms and collection of blood to measure oxylipins in plasma were performed before and after each exposure. Individuals with BRS reported more symptoms (mostly mucosal) than the referents in the problem rooms and there was a tendency towards a difference between the groups in concentration of metabolites from the cyclooxygenase pathway (COX). The mean reported intensity of symptoms among all participants was also found to be positively correlated with both COX and lipoxygenase (LOX-15) oxylipins in problem rooms.
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| 6. |
- Eneroth, Hanna, et al.
(författare)
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Risks and Benefits of Increased Nut Consumption : Cardiovascular Health Benefits Outweigh the Burden of Carcinogenic Effects Attributed to Aflatoxin B1 Exposure
- 2017
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Ingår i: Nutrients. - : MDPI AG. - 2072-6643. ; 9:12
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Nuts are rich in nutrients and mounting evidence shows that consumption reduces cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence. Nuts may also be a major source of aflatoxin B₁, a potent liver carcinogen and the risk/benefit balance is unknown. Based on national statistics and data from the PREDIMED intervention trial, we estimated the potential CVD-reduction if Swedes aged 55-79 consumed 30 g nuts/day, instead of the current national average of five grams per day. We also assessed the reduction in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) due to myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke. We estimated the aflatoxin B₁ exposure from nuts and calculated the margin of exposure. The approximation that one nanogram aflatoxin B₁/kg body weight/day results in one additional liver cancer case/10 million person-years was used to estimate the number of liver cancer cases. The increased nut consumption scenario prevented more than 7000 CVDs in 2013 (306/100,000 person-years) and contributed to about 55,000 saved DALYs for stroke and 22,000 for MI. The concomitant increase in aflatoxin B₁ exposure caused an estimated zero to three additional cases of liver cancer, corresponding to 159 DALYs spent, emphasizing the associated risks. Increased nut consumption, as part of a varied healthy diet, is warranted even when aflatoxin B₁ exposure is taken into account. However, efforts to reduce aflatoxin exposure from food are essential.
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| 7. |
- Englund, Anja, et al.
(författare)
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The behaviour change technique : profile of a multimodal lifestyle intervention
- 2024
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Ingår i: Lifestyle Medicine. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 2688-3740. ; 5:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction: The behaviour change technique taxonomy version 1 was developed to identify the smallest active ingredients of a lifestyle intervention, that is, behaviour change techniques (BCTs) based on a written description. By participation and direct observation of an intervention, we intend to not only identify BCTs but also assess exposure time for each BCT. Adding the dimension of exposure time should enable us to make quantitative comparisons between the different BCTs employed. We intend to demonstrate this by studying the hypotheses that exposure to information-related BCTs is similar for all targeted lifestyle modalities but decreases in the course of the intervention.Methods: During 5-week intensive multimodal lifestyle interventions at a Swedish clinic for lifestyle medicine, we identified BCTs according to behaviour change technique taxonomy version 1 and noted exposure times to BCTs in all mandatory parts of the behaviour change intervention.Results: Two hundred thirty-one independent intervention components were evaluated. BCTs 8.1 Behavioural practice/rehearsal (126 h), 4.1 Instruction on how to perform the behaviour (98 h) and 6.1 Demonstration of the behaviour (65 h) were the most common in terms of exposure time. Relative exposure to BCTs with an informative nature was similar for the different treatment phases (33%−37%−28%; p = 0.09) but higher for physical activity compared to food habits, stress management and unspecific lifestyle medicine (63%−25%−22%−25%; p < 0.001).Conclusions: The behaviour change technique taxonomy version 1 can be extended by adding exposure time for different BCTs. The resulting BCT–exposure profile can be used for assessing the relative importance of different behaviour change strategies.
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| 8. |
- Fuks, Kateryna B., et al.
(författare)
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Arterial blood pressure and long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution : an analysis in the European Study of Cohorts for Air Pollution Effects (ESCAPE)
- 2014
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Ingår i: Journal of Environmental Health Perspectives. - : National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). - 0091-6765 .- 1552-9924. ; 122:9, s. 896-905
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Long-term exposure to air pollution is hypothesized to elevate arterial blood pressure (BP). The existing evidence is scarce and country-specific. OBJECTIVES: We investigated the cross-sectional association of long-term traffic-related air pollution with BP and prevalent hypertension in European populations. METHODS: Fifteen population-based cohorts, participating in the European Study of Cohorts for Air Pollution Effects (ESCAPE), were analysed. Residential exposure to particulate matter and nitrogen oxides was modelled with land use regression using a uniform protocol. Traffic exposure was assessed with traffic indicator variables. We analysed systolic and diastolic BP in participants medicated and non-medicated with BP lowering medication (BPLM) separately, adjusting for personal and area-level risk factors and environmental noise. Prevalent hypertension was defined as ≥ 140 mmHg systolic, or ≥ 90 mmHg diastolic BP, or intake of BPLM. We combined cohort-specific results using random-effects meta-analysis. RESULTS: In the main meta-analysis of 113,926 participants, traffic load on major roads within 100 m of the residence was associated with increased systolic and diastolic BP in non-medicated participants (0.35 mmHg [95% CI: 0.02-0.68] and 0.22 mmHg [95% CI: 0.04-0.40] per 4,000,000 vehicles × m/day, respectively). The estimated odds ratio for prevalent hypertension was 1.05 [95% CI: 0.99-1.11] per 4,000,000 vehicles × m/day. Modelled air pollutants and BP were not clearly associated. CONCLUSIONS: In this first comprehensive meta-analysis of European population-based cohorts we observed a weak positive association of high residential traffic exposure with BP in non-medicated participants, and an elevated OR for prevalent hypertension. The relationship of modelled air pollutants with BP was inconsistent.
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| 9. |
- Hrubá, Františka, et al.
(författare)
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A regional comparison of children's blood cadmium, lead, and mercury in rural, urban and industrial areas of six European countries, and China, Ecuador, and Morocco
- 2023
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Ingår i: International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health. - Poland : Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine. - 1232-1087 .- 1896-494X .- 2008-6520. ; 36:3, s. 349-364
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: The authors aimed to evaluate whether blood cadmium (B-Cd), lead (B-Pb) and mercury (B-Hg) in children differ regionally in 9 countries, and to identify factors correlating with exposure.MATERIAL AND METHODS: The authors performed a cross-sectional study of children aged 7-14 years, living in 2007-2008 in urban, rural, or potentially polluted ("hot spot") areas (ca. 50 children from each area, in total 1363 children) in 6 European and 3 non-European countries. The authors analyzed Cd, Pb, and total Hg in blood and collected information on potential determinants of exposure through questionnaires. Regional differences in exposure levels were assessed within each country.RESULTS: Children living near industrial "hot-spots" had B-Cd 1.6 (95% CI: 1.4-1.9) times higher in the Czech Republic and 2.1 (95% CI:1.6-2.8) times higher in Poland, as compared to urban children in the same countries (geometric means [GM]: 0.13 μg/l and 0.15 μg/l, respectively). Correspondingly, B-Pb in the "hot spot" areas was 1.8 (95% CI: 1.6-2.1) times higher than in urban areas in Slovakia and 2.3 (95% CI: 1.9-2.7) times higher in Poland (urban GM: 19.4 μg/l and 16.3 μg/l, respectively). In China and Morocco, rural children had significantly lower B-Pb than urban ones (urban GM: 64 μg/l and 71 μg/l, respectively), suggesting urban exposure from leaded petrol, water pipes and/or coal-burning. Hg "hot spot" areas in China had B-Hg 3.1 (95% CI: 2.7-3.5) times higher, and Ecuador 1.5 (95% CI: 1.2-1.9) times higher, as compared to urban areas (urban GM: 2.45 μg/l and 3.23 μg/l, respectively). Besides industrial exposure, traffic correlated with B-Cd; male sex, environmental tobacco smoke, and offal consumption with B-Pb; and fish consumption and amalgam fillings with B-Hg. However, these correlations could only marginally explain regional differences.CONCLUSIONS: These mainly European results indicate that some children experience about doubled exposures to toxic elements just because of where they live. These exposures are unsafe, identifiable, and preventable and therefore call for preventive actions.
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| 10. |
- Johansson, Christer, et al.
(författare)
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Impacts of air pollution and health by changing commuting from car to bicycle
- 2017
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Ingår i: Science of the Total Environment. - : Elsevier. - 0048-9697 .- 1879-1026. ; 584-585, s. 55-63
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Our study is based on individual data on people’s home and work addresses, as well as their age, sex and physical capacity, in order to establish realistic bicycle-travel distances. A transport model is used to single out data on commuting preferences in the County Stockholm. Our analysis shows there is a very large potential for reducing emissions and exposure if all car drivers living within a distance corresponding to a maximum of a 30 minute bicycle ride to work would change to commuting by bicycle. It would result in more than 111 000 new cyclists, corresponding to an increase of 209% compared to the current situation.Mean population exposure would be reduced by about 7% for both NOx and black carbon (BC) in the most densely populated area of the inner city of Stockholm. Applying a relative risk for NOx of 8% decrease in all-cause mortality associated with a 10 µg m-3 decrease in NOx, this corresponds to more than 449 (95% CI: 340 - 558) years of life saved annually for the Stockholm county area with 2.1 million inhabitants. This is more than double the effect of the reduced mortality estimated for the introduction of congestion charge in Stockholm in 2006. Using NO2 or BC as indicator of health impacts, we obtain 395 (95% CI: 172 - 617) and 185 (95% CI: 158 - 209) years of life saved for the population, respectively. The calculated exposure of BC and its corresponding impacts on mortality are likely underestimated. With this in mind the estimates using NOx, NO2 and BC show quite similar health impacts considering the 95% confidence intervals.
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