TY - JOUR
T1 - Exposure assessment for a nested case-control study of lung cancer among European asphalt workers
AU - Agostini, Michela
AU - Ferro, Gilles
AU - Olsson, Ann
AU - Burstyn, Igor
AU - De Vocht, Frank
AU - Hansen, Johnni
AU - Lassen, Christina Funch
AU - Johansen, Christoffer
AU - Kjaerheim, Kristina
AU - Langard, Sverre
AU - Stucker, Isabelle
AU - Ahrens, Wolfgang
AU - Behrens, Thomas
AU - Lindbohm, Marja-Liisa
AU - Heikkilä, Pirjo
AU - Heederik, Dick
AU - Portengen, Lützen
AU - Shaham, Judith
AU - Boffetta, Paolo
AU - Kromhout, Hans
PY - 2010/10
Y1 - 2010/10
N2 - OBJECTIVE: Development of a method for retrospective assessment of exposure to bitumen fume, bitumen condensate, organic vapour, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and co-exposures to known or suspected lung carcinogens for a nested case-control study of lung cancer mortality among European asphalt workers.METHODS: Company questionnaires and structured questionnaires used in interviews and industry-specific job-exposure matrices (JEMs) were elaborated and applied. Three sources of information were eventually used for exposure assessment and assignment: (i) data obtained in cohort phase, (ii) data from living subjects, next-of-kin, and fellow-workers questionnaires, and (iii) JEMs for bitumen exposure by inhalation and via skin and co-exposures to known or suspected lung carcinogens within and outside cohort companies. Inhalation and dermal exposure estimates for bitumen were adjusted for time trends, time spent in a job, and other determinants of exposure (e.g. oil gravel paving). Clothing patterns, personal protective devices, and personal hygiene were taken into consideration while estimating dermal exposure.RESULTS: Occupational exposures could be assessed for 433 cases and 1253 controls for relevant time periods. Only 43% of work histories were spent inside original asphalt and construction companies. A total of 95.8% of job periods in cohort companies could be coded at a more detailed level. Imputation of work time and 'hygienic behaviour' multipliers was needed for <10% of work history years. Overall, downward trends in exposure were present and differences existed between countries and companies. As expected, correlations were strongest (r > 0.7) among bitumen-related agents, while correlations between coal tar, bitumen-related agents, and established lung carcinogens were weaker (r < 0.4).CONCLUSIONS: A systematic and detailed approach was developed to estimate inhalation and dermal exposure for a nested case-control study among asphalt workers.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Development of a method for retrospective assessment of exposure to bitumen fume, bitumen condensate, organic vapour, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and co-exposures to known or suspected lung carcinogens for a nested case-control study of lung cancer mortality among European asphalt workers.METHODS: Company questionnaires and structured questionnaires used in interviews and industry-specific job-exposure matrices (JEMs) were elaborated and applied. Three sources of information were eventually used for exposure assessment and assignment: (i) data obtained in cohort phase, (ii) data from living subjects, next-of-kin, and fellow-workers questionnaires, and (iii) JEMs for bitumen exposure by inhalation and via skin and co-exposures to known or suspected lung carcinogens within and outside cohort companies. Inhalation and dermal exposure estimates for bitumen were adjusted for time trends, time spent in a job, and other determinants of exposure (e.g. oil gravel paving). Clothing patterns, personal protective devices, and personal hygiene were taken into consideration while estimating dermal exposure.RESULTS: Occupational exposures could be assessed for 433 cases and 1253 controls for relevant time periods. Only 43% of work histories were spent inside original asphalt and construction companies. A total of 95.8% of job periods in cohort companies could be coded at a more detailed level. Imputation of work time and 'hygienic behaviour' multipliers was needed for <10% of work history years. Overall, downward trends in exposure were present and differences existed between countries and companies. As expected, correlations were strongest (r > 0.7) among bitumen-related agents, while correlations between coal tar, bitumen-related agents, and established lung carcinogens were weaker (r < 0.4).CONCLUSIONS: A systematic and detailed approach was developed to estimate inhalation and dermal exposure for a nested case-control study among asphalt workers.
KW - Aged
KW - Air Pollutants, Occupational/analysis
KW - Algorithms
KW - Carcinogens/analysis
KW - Case-Control Studies
KW - Cohort Studies
KW - Construction Industry/statistics & numerical data
KW - Europe/epidemiology
KW - Humans
KW - Hydrocarbons
KW - Inhalation Exposure/statistics & numerical data
KW - Lung Neoplasms/chemically induced
KW - Male
KW - Occupational Diseases/chemically induced
KW - Occupational Exposure/statistics & numerical data
KW - Occupations/statistics & numerical data
KW - Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons/analysis
KW - Prevalence
KW - Protective Devices/statistics & numerical data
KW - Skin/chemistry
KW - Skin Care/statistics & numerical data
KW - Surveys and Questionnaires
KW - Time Factors
U2 - 10.1093/annhyg/meq059
DO - 10.1093/annhyg/meq059
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 20861450
SN - 0003-4878
VL - 54
SP - 813
EP - 823
JO - The Annals of occupational hygiene
JF - The Annals of occupational hygiene
IS - 7
ER -