| 1. |
- Abera, Asmamaw, et al.
(författare)
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Air Quality in Africa : Public Health Implications
- 2021
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Ingår i: Annual review of public health. - : Annual Reviews. - 0163-7525 .- 1545-2093. ; 42, s. 193-210
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This review highlights the importance of air quality in the African urban development process. We address connections between air pollution and (a) rapid urbanization, (b) social problems, (c) health impacts, (d) climate change, (e) policies, and ( f ) new innovations. We acknowledge that air pollution levels in Africa can be extremely high and a serious health threat. The toxic content of the pollution could relate to region-specific sources such as low standards for vehicles and fuels, cooking with solid fuels, and burning household waste. We implore the pursuit of interdisciplinary research to create new approaches with relevant stakeholders. Moreover, successful air pollution research must regard conflicts, tensions, and synergies inherent to development processes in African municipalities, regions, and countries. This includes global relationships regarding climate change, trade, urban planning, and transportation. Incorporating aspects of local political situations (e.g., democracy) can also enhance greater political accountability and awareness about air pollution. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Public Health, Volume 42 is April 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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| 2. |
- Broberg, Karin, et al.
(författare)
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Manganese transporter genetics and sex modify the association between environmental manganese exposure and neurobehavioral outcomes in children
- 2019
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Ingår i: Environment International. - : Elsevier BV. - 0160-4120 .- 1873-6750. ; 130
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- There is increasing evidence that environmental manganese (Mn) exposure early in life can have negative effects on children's neurodevelopment and increase the risk of behavioral problems, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Factors that may contribute to differences in sensitivity to Mn exposure are sex and genetic variation of proteins involved in the regulation of Mn concentrations. Here we investigate if sex and polymorphisms in Mn transporter genes SLC30A10 and SLC39A8 influence the association between Mn exposure and ADHD-related behavioral problems in children. The SNPs rs1776029 and rs12064812 in SLC30A10, and rs13107325 in SLC39A8 were genotyped by TaqMan PCR or pyrosequencing in a population of Italian children (aged 11–14 years; n = 645) with a wide range of environmental Mn exposure. Mn in surface soil was measured in situ using XRF technology or modeled by geospatial analysis. Linear regression models or generalized additive models (GAM) were used for analyzing associations between soil Mn and neurobehavioral problems assessed by the Conners' behavior rating scales (self-, and parent-reported). Gene-environment interactions (Mn transporter genotype x soil Mn) were evaluated using a genetic score in which genotypes for the three SNPs were combined based on their association with blood Mn, as an indication of their influence on Mn regulation. We observed differences in associations between soil Mn and neurobehavior between sexes. For several self-reported Conners' scales, girls showed U-shaped relationships with higher (worse) Conners' scoring at higher soil Mn levels, and several parent-reported scales showed positive linear relationships between increasing soil Mn and higher Conner's scores. For boys, we observed a positive linear relationship with soil Mn for one Conner's outcome only (hyperactivity, parent-reported). We also observed some interactions between soil Mn and the genetic score on Conner's scales in girls and girls with genotypes linked to high blood Mn showed particularly strong positive associations between soil Mn and parent-reported Conners' scales. Our results indicate that sex and polymorphisms in Mn transporter genes contribute to differences in sensitivity to Mn exposure from the environment and that girls that are genetically less efficient at regulating Mn, may be a particularly vulnerable group.
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| 3. |
- Chen, Jie, et al.
(författare)
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Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution and bladder cancer incidence in a pooled European cohort : the ELAPSE project
- 2022
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Ingår i: British Journal of Cancer. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0007-0920 .- 1532-1827. ; 126:10, s. 1499-1507
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The evidence linking ambient air pollution to bladder cancer is limited and mixed.Methods: We assessed the associations of bladder cancer incidence with residential exposure to fine particles (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), black carbon (BC), warm season ozone (O3) and eight PM2.5 elemental components (copper, iron, potassium, nickel, sulfur, silicon, vanadium, and zinc) in a pooled cohort (N = 302,493). Exposures were primarily assessed based on 2010 measurements and back-extrapolated to the baseline years. We applied Cox proportional hazard models adjusting for individual- and area-level potential confounders.Results: During an average of 18.2 years follow-up, 967 bladder cancer cases occurred. We observed a positive though statistically non-significant association between PM2.5 and bladder cancer incidence. Hazard Ratios (HR) were 1.09 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.93–1.27) per 5 µg/m3 for 2010 exposure and 1.06 (95% CI: 0.99–1.14) for baseline exposure. Effect estimates for NO2, BC and O3 were close to unity. A positive association was observed with PM2.5 zinc (HR 1.08; 95% CI: 1.00–1.16 per 10 ng/m3).Conclusions: We found suggestive evidence of an association between long-term PM2.5 mass exposure and bladder cancer, strengthening the evidence from the few previous studies. The association with zinc in PM2.5 suggests the importance of industrial emissions.
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| 4. |
- Gliga, Anda R., et al.
(författare)
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Exposure to Mild Steel Welding and Changes in Serum Proteins With Putative Neurological Function—A Longitudinal Study
- 2020
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Public Health. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2296-2565. ; 8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Welders are exposed to high levels of metal particles, consisting mainly of iron and manganese (Mn) oxide. Metal particles, especially those containing Mn can be neurotoxic. In this exploratory study, we evaluated associations between welding and expression of 87 putative neurology-related proteins in serum in a longitudinal approach. The study cohort from southern Sweden included welders working with mild steel (n = 56) and controls (n = 67), all male and non-smoking, which were sampled at two timepoints (T1, T2) 6-year apart. Observed associations in the longitudinal analysis (linear mixed models) were further evaluated (linear regression models) in another cross-sectional sample which included welders (n = 102) and controls (n = 89) who were sampled only once (T1 or T2). The median respirable dust levels for welders after adjusting for respiratory protection was at T1 0.6 (5–95 percentile: 0.2–4.2) and at T2 0.5 (0.1–1.8) mg/m3. The adjusted median respirable Mn concentration was at T2 0.049 mg/m3 (0.003–0.314) with a Spearman correlation between adjusted respirable dust and respirable Mn of rS = 0.88. We identified five neurology-related proteins that were differentially expressed in welders vs. controls in the longitudinal sample, of which one (nicotinamide/nicotinic acid mononucleotide adenylyltransferase 1; NMNAT1) was also differentially expressed in the cross-sectional sample. NMNAT1, an axon-protective protein linked to Alzheimers disease, was upregulated in welders compared with controls but no associations were discerned with degree of exposure (welders only: years welding, respirable dust, cumulative exposure). However, we identified five additional proteins that were associated with years welding (GCSF, EFNA4, CTSS, CLM6, VWC2; welders only) both in the longitudinal and in the cross-sectional samples. We also observed several neurology-related proteins that were associated with age and BMI. Our study indicates that low-to-moderate exposure to welding fumes is associated with changes in circulating levels of neurology-related proteins.
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| 5. |
- Gliga, Anda R., et al.
(författare)
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Mild steel welding is associated with alterations in circulating levels of cancer-related proteins
- 2019
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Ingår i: Archives of Toxicology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0340-5761 .- 1432-0738. ; 93:12, s. 3535-3547
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Welding fumes were recently classified as carcinogenic to humans and worldwide millions work as welders or perform welding operations. The purpose of this study was to identify new biomarkers of welding-induced carcinogenesis. We evaluated a panel of 91 putative cancer-related proteins in serum in a cohort of welders working with mild steel (n = 77) and controls (n = 94) from southern Sweden sampled on two occasions 6-year apart using a longitudinal analysis (linear mixed models). The significant results from the longitudinal analysis were tested for reproducibility in welders (n = 88) and controls (n = 69) sampled once during the same sampling period as timepoint 1 or timepoint 2 (linear regression models), i.e., in a cross-sectional setting. The models were adjusted for age, body-mass index, and use of snus. All study participants were non-smokers at recruitment. Exposure to welding fumes was assessed using questionnaires and respirable dust measurement in the breathing zone that was adjusted for personal respiratory protection equipment. The median respirable dust in welders was 0.7 (0.2–4.2) and 0.5 (0.1–1.9) mg/m3 at the first and second timepoints, respectively. We identified 14 cancer-related proteins that were differentially expressed in welders versus controls in the longitudinal analysis, out of which three were also differentially expressed in the cross-sectional analysis (cross-sectional group). Namely, syndecan 1 (SDC1), folate receptor 1 (FOLR1), and secreted protein acidic and cysteine rich (SPARC) were downregulated, in welders compared with controls. In addition, FOLR1 was negatively associated with years welding. Disease and function analysis indicated that the top proteins are related to lung cancer as well as cell invasion and migration. Our study indicates that moderate exposure to welding fumes is associated with changes in circulating levels of putative cancer-related proteins, out of which FOLR1 showed a clear dose–response relationship. It is, however, unclear to which extent these changes are adaptive or potential early biomarkers of cancer.
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| 6. |
- Hvidtfeldt, Ulla Arthur, et al.
(författare)
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Long term exposure to air pollution and kidney parenchyma cancer – Effects of low-level air pollution : a Study in Europe (ELAPSE)
- 2022
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Ingår i: Environmental Research. - : Academic Press Inc.. - 0013-9351 .- 1096-0953. ; 215
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Particulate matter (PM) is classified as a group 1 human carcinogen. Previous experimental studies suggest that particles in diesel exhaust induce oxidative stress, inflammation and DNA damage in kidney cells, but the evidence from population studies linking air pollution to kidney cancer is limited.METHODS: We pooled six European cohorts (N = 302,493) to assess the association of residential exposure to fine particles (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), black carbon (BC), warm season ozone (O3) and eight elemental components of PM2.5 (copper, iron, potassium, nickel, sulfur, silicon, vanadium, and zinc) with cancer of the kidney parenchyma. The main exposure model was developed for year 2010. We defined kidney parenchyma cancer according to the International Classification of Diseases 9th and 10th Revision codes 189.0 and C64. We applied Cox proportional hazards models adjusting for potential confounders at the individual and area-level.RESULTS: The participants were followed from baseline (1985–2005) to 2011–2015. A total of 847 cases occurred during 5,497,514 person-years of follow-up (average 18.2 years). Median (5–95%) exposure levels of NO2, PM2.5, BC and O3 were 24.1 μg/m3 (12.8–39.2), 15.3 μg/m3 (8.6–19.2), 1.6 10−5 m−1 (0.7–2.1), and 87.0 μg/m3 (70.3–97.4), respectively. The results of the fully adjusted linear analyses showed a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.03 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.92, 1.15) per 10 μg/m³ NO2, 1.04 (95% CI: 0.88, 1.21) per 5 μg/m³ PM2.5, 0.99 (95% CI: 0.89, 1.11) per 0.5 10−5 m−1 BCE, and 0.88 (95% CI: 0.76, 1.02) per 10 μg/m³ O3. We did not find associations between any of the elemental components of PM2.5 and cancer of the kidney parenchyma.CONCLUSION: We did not observe an association between long-term ambient air pollution exposure and incidence of kidney parenchyma cancer.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Muhammad, Noor, et al.
(författare)
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Novel mutations in MPT64 secretory protein of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex
- 2023
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Ingår i: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. - : MDPI. - 1661-7827 .- 1660-4601. ; 20:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Tuberculosis (TB) is a global health problem caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC). These bacteria secrete various proteins involved in the pathogenesis and persistence of MTBC. Among the secretory proteins, MPT64 (Rv1980C) is highly conserved and is also known as a major culture filtrate that is used in rapid diagnosis of MTBC. In the current study, we aimed to find the mutation in this highly conserved protein in isolates from the Pashtun-dominant province of Pakistan. We analyzed 470 M. tuberculosis whole-genome sequences of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. Mutations in the MPT64 gene were screened through TB-Profiler and BioEdit software tools. The DynaMut web server was used to analyze the impact of the mutation on protein dynamics and stability. Among 470 MTB genomes, three non-synonymous mutations were detected in nine isolates, and one synonymous mutation (G208A) was found in four isolates. Mutation G211T (F159L), which was detected at the C-terminal domain of the protein in six isolates, was the most prominent. The second novel mutation, T480C (I70V), was detected in two isolates at the C-terminal side of the protein structure. The third novel mutation, A491C (L66R), was detected in a single isolate at the N-terminal side of the MPT64 protein. The effect of these three mutations was destabilizing on the protein structure. The molecular flexibility of the first two mutations increased, and the last one decreased. MPT64 is a highly conserved secretory protein, harboring only a few mutations. This study provides useful information for better managing the diagnosis of MTB isolates in high TB-burden countries.
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| 9. |
- Olaison, Sara, 1976-, et al.
(författare)
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Hearing Outcomes After Ossiculoplasty With Bone or Titanium Prostheses : A Nationwide Register-Based Study
- 2024
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Ingår i: Clinical Otolaryngology. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1749-4478 .- 1365-2273.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: This study compares hearing outcomes of two prosthesis materials, bone and titanium, used in ossiculoplasty.DESIGN: This retrospective nationwide registry-based study uses data systematically collected by the Swedish Quality Registry for Ear Surgery (SwedEar). SETTING: The data were obtained from clinics in Sweden that perform ossiculoplasty.PARTICIPANTS: Patients who underwent ossiculoplasty using either bone or titanium prostheses were registered in SwedEar between 2013 and 2019.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Hearing outcome expressed as air-bone gap (ABG) gain.RESULTS: The study found no differences between bone and titanium for ABG or air conduction (AC) for either partial ossicular replacement prostheses (PORP) or total ossicular replacement prostheses (TORP). In a comparison between PORP and TORP for ABG and AC outcomes, regardless of the material used, PORP showed a small advantage, with an additional improvement of 3.3 dB (95% CI [confidence interval], 0.1-4.4) in ABG and 2.2 dB (95% CI, 1.7-4.8) in AC. In secondary surgery using TORP, titanium produced slightly better results for high-frequency pure tone average. The success rate, a postoperative ABG ≤20 dB, was achieved in 62% of the operations for the whole group.CONCLUSION: Both bone and titanium used to reconstruct the ossicular chain produce similar hearing outcomes for both PORP and TORP procedures. However, titanium may be a preferable option for secondary surgeries involving TORP. The success rate, a postoperative ABG ≤20 dB, is consistent with other studies, but there is room for improvement in patient selection criteria and surgical techniques.
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| 10. |
- Oudin, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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Poor housing conditions in association with child health in a disadvantaged immigrant population : a cross-sectional study in Rosengård, Malmö, Sweden
- 2016
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Ingår i: BMJ Open. - : BMJ. - 2044-6055. ; 6:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: To describe the home environment in terms of housing conditions and their association with child health in a disadvantaged immigrant population.DESIGN: A cross-sectional observational study.SETTING: Enrolment took place during 2010-2011 in Rosengård, Malmö, Sweden.PARTICIPANTS: Children aged 0-13 years in 2 study neighbourhoods were recruited from local health records and from schools. 359 children participated, with a participation rate of 40%. Data on health, lifestyle and apartment characteristics from questionnaire-led interviews with the mothers of the children were obtained together with data from home inspections carried out by trained health communicators.OUTCOME MEASURES: Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate ORs for various health outcomes, adjusted for demographic information and lifestyle factors.RESULTS: The housing conditions were very poor, especially in one of the study neighbourhoods where 67% of the apartments had been sanitised of cockroaches, 27% were infested with cockroaches and 40% had a visible mould. The association between housing conditions and health was mostly inconclusive, but there were statistically significant associations between current asthma and dampness (OR=4.1, 95% CI 1.7 to 9.9), between asthma medication and dampness (OR=2.8, 95% CI 1.2 to 6.4), and between mould and headache (OR=4.2, 95% CI 1.2 to 14.8). The presence of cockroaches was associated with emergency care visits, with colds, with headache and with difficulty falling asleep, and worse general health was associated with mould and presence of cockroaches.CONCLUSIONS: The associations between dampness and asthma, and the association between mould and headache, are in line with current knowledge. The presence of cockroaches seemed to be associated with various outcomes, including those related to mental well-being, which is less described in the literature. The results of the present study are hypothesis generating and provide strong incentives for future studies in this study population.
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| 11. |
- Raheel, A., et al.
(författare)
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Synthesis, Characterization and DFT Study of Bioactive 2-[(2-Methylpropanoyl)amino]propanoic Acid and Its Polymeric Tributyltin(IV) Derivative
- 2019
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Ingår i: ChemistrySelect. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 2365-6549. ; 4:29, s. 8638-8644
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Tributyltin(IV) derivative (1) was synthesized by reacting the ligand (A1) {2-[(2-methylpropanoyl)amino]propanoic acid} with tributyltin(IV)chloride in presence of potassium hydroxide. The compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR and multinuclear (1H, 13C and 119Sn) NMR spectroscopy. The 119Sn NMR data for (1) suggest that tin is five coordinated having trigonal bipyramidal molecular geometry. Molecular structures for (1) and (A1) were determined by single crystal X-ray analysis. Some new and novel structural features of the compounds, are reported first time. Tributyltin(IV) complex has distorted trigonal bipyramidal molecular geometry around tin in the solid state exhibiting single chain tetramer which may be ascribed as tetra-nuclear cage structure that is constructed from four tributyltin units and four ligand moieties. The tributyltin(IV) entities are bridged by one oxygen of the carboxylic group of one ligand and another oxygen of the amidic carbonyl of next ligand. The nature of Sn…O bond was analyzed with the help of natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. The compounds were also screened in vitro for their anti-microbial and urease inhibition activities, and found some encouraging results.
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| 12. |
- Richter, Jens C., et al.
(författare)
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An investigation of child health in relation to housing renovations for a disadvantaged immigrant population in Malmo, Sweden
- 2023
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Public Health. - : SAGE Publications. - 1403-4948 .- 1651-1905. ; 51:3, s. 472-482
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aims: The aim of the study was to describe child health in relation to housing renovations in more than 800 rental units, consisting of repairs of dilapidated kitchens and bathrooms, in the disadvantaged neighbourhood of Herrgarden in Rosengard, Malmo, Sweden. Methods: Data on housing conditions and self-reported health were collected during home visits to families living in Herrgarden (building renovations area) and a comparison area (neighbouring Tornrosen, with generally better housing conditions). At baseline, 130 families with 359 children participated, while 51 families with 127 children participated at follow-up. All data were collected between 2010 and 2012. Additionally, regional register data on health-care usage/in- and outpatient contacts within the public health-care system between 2008 and 2013 were also collected for all 8715 children registered as living in the two areas. Results: Self-reported health seemed to somewhat improve in both areas, with 74% versus 86% and 78% versus 88% reporting good or very good health in Herrgarden and in the comparison area at baseline and follow-up, respectively. In Herrgarden, crowdedness increased, while it decreased in the comparison area. The number of health-care contacts remained stable over time in Herrgarden, while it decreased in the comparison area. Conclusions: Partial housing renovations did not seem to result in clear health improvements as measured with the indicators used in the present study. This could possibly be due to persisting health effects due to increased crowdedness or persisting poor housing conditions, as only kitchens and bathrooms were renovated.
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| 13. |
- Richter, Jens, et al.
(författare)
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High burden of atopy in immigrant families in substandard apartments in Sweden - on the contribution of bad housing to poor health in vulnerable populations
- 2018
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Ingår i: World Allergy Organization Journal. - : Elsevier BV. - 1939-4551. ; 11
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Atopic disorders are a global concern. Studies in migrant populations can illuminate the interplay of genetic and environmental factors. Exposures related to bad housing (indoor dampness, mould growth, crowding etc.) are likely to play a role in how socioeconomic inequalities can turn into health disparities for disadvantaged populations. The sizable immigrant population living in very poor-quality housing in Malmo, Sweden, became the focus of a cross-sectional study. Objective: To describe atopic disorders and sensitizations in a population living in substandard housing in Malmo, Sweden, with an emphasis on their relation to harmful exposures from the built environment. Methods: Families were recruited via identification of any children with symptomatic airway afflictions from health care records, and also asymptomatic children from school lists. Interviewer-led health questionnaire data and data from self-reports about living conditions were obtained together with data from home inspections carried out by health communicators. Families underwent skin prick tests (SPT) against common aeroallergens. Results: As could be expected from background demographic information, it turned out that we effectively studied an immigrant population inhabiting very precarious housing outside the center of Malmo. A total of 359 children from 130 families (total 650 participants) were included. Overall the prevalence of potentially harmful environmental exposures was high (signs of moisture or mould in more than 50% of apartments, indoor smoking in 37% of households). Atopic disorders were common among both adults and children. SPTs showed a spectrum of sensitizations consistent with unselected populations in Sweden. Paternal sensitization in the SPT was associated with higher risk of sensitization for offspring than maternal sensitization. Few statistically significant associations of atopic sensitization with studied environmental exposures were detected (for example objective signs of dampness /mould in bathrooms). There were marked discrepancies between asthma diagnoses obtained from the health records and parental reports of such diagnoses and treatment for their children. Conclusions: The atopic burden in this selected immigrant population was high, and results point to unmet medical needs. Health care systems caring for such populations need to be aware of their specific health needs; comprehensive asthma and allergy care should include consideration of harmful environmental exposures, adhering to the precautionary principle.
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| 14. |
- Taj, Tahir, et al.
(författare)
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Air pollution is associated with primary health care visits for asthma in Sweden : a case-crossover design with a distributed lag non-linear model
- 2016
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Ingår i: Spatial and Spatio-temporal Epidemiology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1877-5845 .- 1877-5853. ; 17, s. 37-44
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Air pollution can increase the symptoms of asthma and has an acute effect on the number of emergency room visits and hospital admissions because of asthma, but little is known about the effect of air pollution on the number of primary health care (PHC) visits for asthma.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between air pollution and the number of PHC visits for asthma in Scania, southern Sweden.METHODS: Data on daily PHC visits for asthma were obtained from a regional healthcare database in Scania, which covers approximately half a million people. Air pollution data from 2005 to 2010 were obtained from six urban background stations. We used a case-crossover study design and a distributed lag non-linear model in the analysis.RESULTS: The air pollution levels were generally within the EU air quality guidelines. The mean number of daily PHC visits for asthma was 34. The number of PHC visits increased by 5% (95% confidence interval (CI): 3.91-6.25%) with every 10µg m(-3) increase in daily mean NO2 lag (0-15), suggesting that daily air pollution levels are associated with PHC visits for asthma.CONCLUSION: Even though the air quality in Scania between 2005 and 2010 was within EU's guidelines, the number of PHC visits for asthma increased with increasing levels of air pollution. This suggests that as well as increasing hospital and emergency room visits, air pollution increases the burden on PHC due to milder symptoms of asthma
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| 15. |
- Taj, Tahir, et al.
(författare)
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Effect of welding fumes on the cardiovascular system: a six-year longitudinal study
- 2021
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Work Environment & Health. - : Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health. - 0355-3140 .- 1795-990X. ; 47:1, s. 52-61
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective This study investigated whether low-to-moderate exposure to welding fumes is associated with adverse effects on the cardiovascular system. Methods To test this, we performed a longitudinal analysis of 78 mild steel welders and 96 controls; these subjects were examined twice, six years apart (ie, timepoints 1 and 2). All subjects (male and non-smoking at recruitment) completed questionnaires describing their health, work history, and lifestyle. We measured their blood pressure, endothelial function (by EndoPAT), and risk markers for cardiovascular disease [low-density lio-protein (LDL), homocysteine, C-reactive protein]. Exposure to welding fumes was assessed from the responses to questionnaires and measurements of respirable dust in their breathing zones adjusted for use of respiratory protection equipment. Linear mixed-effect regression models were used for the longitudinal analysis. Results Median respirable dust concentrations, adjusted for respirable protection, of the welders were 0.7 (5-95 percentile range 0.2-4.2) and 0.5 (0.1-1.9) mg/m 3 at timepoints 1 and 2, respectively. Over the six-year period, welders showed a statistically significant increase in systolic [5.11 mm Hg, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.92-8.31] and diastolic (3.12 mm Hg, 95% CI 0.74-5.5) blood pressure compared with controls (multi-variable adjusted mixed effect models). Diastolic blood pressure increased non-significantly by 0.22 mm Hg (95% CI-0.02-0.45) with every additional year of welding work. No consistent significant associations were found between exposure and endothelial function, LDL, homocysteine, or C-reactive protein. Conclusion Exposure to welding fumes at low-to-moderate levels is associated with increased blood pressure, suggesting that reducing the occupational exposure limit (2.5 mg/m(3) for inorganic respirable dust in Sweden) is needed to protect cardiovascular health of workers.
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| 16. |
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| 17. |
- Taj, Tahir, et al.
(författare)
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Short-Term Associations between Air Pollution Concentrations and Respiratory Health-Comparing Primary Health Care Visits, Hospital Admissions, and Emergency Department Visits in a Multi-Municipality Study
- 2017
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Ingår i: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. - : MDPI AG. - 1661-7827 .- 1660-4601. ; 14:6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Acute effects of air pollution on respiratory health have traditionally been investigated with data on inpatient admissions, emergency room visits, and mortality. In this study, we aim to describe the total acute effects of air pollution on health care use for respiratory symptoms (ICD10-J00-J99). This will be done by investigating primary health care (PHC) visits, inpatient admissions, and emergency room visits together in five municipalities in southern Sweden, using a case-crossover design. Between 2005 and 2010, there were 81,019 visits to primary health care, 38,217 emergency room visits, and 25,271 inpatient admissions for respiratory symptoms in the study area. There was a 1.85% increase (95% CI: 0.52 to 3.20) in the number of primary health care visits associated with a 10 mu g/m(3) increase in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels in Malmo, but not in the other municipalities. Air pollution levels were generally not associated with emergency room visits or inpatient admissions, with one exception (in Helsingborg there was a 2.52% increase in emergency room visits for respiratory symptoms associated with a 10 mu g/m(3) increase in PM10). In conclusion, the results give weak support for short-term effects of air pollution on health care use associated with respiratory health symptoms in the study area.
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| 18. |
- Taj, Tahir, et al.
(författare)
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Short-Term Fluctuations in Air Pollution and Asthma in Scania, Sweden : Is the Association Modified by Long-Term Concentrations?
- 2016
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 11:11
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Asthma is one of the most common respiratory diseases in the world. Research has shown that temporal increases in air pollution concentrations can aggravate asthma symptoms. The aim of this study was to assess whether individuals living in areas with higher air pollution concentrations responded differently to short-term temporal exposure to air pollution than those living in lower air pollution areas.METHOD: The study was designed as a case-crossover study in Scania, Sweden. Outcome data was visits to primary health care clinics with asthma as the main complaint during the years 2007 to 2010. Nitrogen dioxide levels were obtained from 21 different air pollution monitoring stations. Short-term exposure was defined as the average concentration four days prior to the visit. Data was pooled for areas above and below a two-year average NO2 concentration of 10 μg/m3, dispersion modelled with an emission database.RESULTS: The short-term association between NO2 and asthma visits seemed stronger in areas with NO2 levels below 10 μg/m3, with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.15 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08-1.23) associated with a 10 μg/m3 increase in NO2 compared to areas above 10 μg/m3 NO2 levels, where corresponding OR of 1.09 (95% CI: 1.02-1.17). However, this difference was not statistically significant. (p = 0.13).CONCLUSIONS: The study provided some evidence, although not statistically significant, that short-term associations between air pollution and asthma may depend on background air pollution levels. However, we cannot rule out that the association is due to other spatially dependent factors in Scania. The study should be reproduced in other study areas.
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