PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

B J Divine

Publications and source records attributed to B J Divine.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1993

Cancer mortality among workers at a butadiene production facility.

A cohort study was carried out of mortality among 2749 male workers who had been employed for at least six months between 1943 and 1990 at a 1,3-butadiene production facility. Most of the members of the cohort were covered in two earlier studies, both of which found a statistically significant deficit for all causes of death and lower than expected mortality from most of the main causes of death. Both also found a statistically significant excess risk for lymphosarcoma, which was concentrated in workers who had been employed for fewer than 10 years, had first been employed before 1946 and had been employed in jobs with routine potential exposure. The purpose of the study reported here was to examine the patterns of mortality after addition of five years of follow-up, new eligible cohort members and complete information on work histories. We were able to obtain information on the vital status of all but 1.4% of the cohort: 1051 deaths had occurred between 1943 and 1990. Death certificates were obtained for all but 15 of the deceased men (1.4%). The standardized mortality ratio (SMR) for all causes of death is 88, and this low figure is statistically significant; the SMR for all cancers, 87, is not statistically significant. The SMR for all lymphohaematopoietic cancers is 143 (95% confidence interval, 100-200). The SMR for leukaemia is 112 (11 deaths), that for lymphosarcoma, 209 (nine deaths), that for other lymphomas, 126 (10 deaths) and that for Hodgkin's disease, 175 (four deaths). None of the latter SMRs is statistically significant.

Butadienes↗
PubMed1990

An update on mortality among workers at a 1,3-butadiene facility--preliminary results.

This is a cohort study of 2582 male workers employed at least 6 months between 1943 and 1979 at a 1,3-butadiene manufacturing facility. An earlier report on mortality through 1979 found a statistically significant deficit for all causes of death and lower than expected mortality for most of the leading causes of death. However, there was a statistically significant excess of deaths from lymphosarcoma. This report is a preliminary update of cohort information through 1985 and also a reanalysis of mortality. The all-causes standardized mortality ratio is 84 and that for all cancers is 80. These are statistically significant deficits; significant deficits were also seen for all cancer of the digestive system and all external causes of death. One additional death from lymphosarcoma was observed during the extended follow-up period giving a statistically significant standardized mortality ratio (SMR) of 229. The increase was concentrated in those employed less than 10 years and in those first employed before 1946. No increase was seen overall for leukemia (SMR = 102).

Butadienes↗
PubMed1987

Texaco mortality study: III. A cohort study of producing and pipeline workers.

While there have been numerous epidemiology studies of refinery workers, no studies have been done on producing and pipeline workers. This is a retrospective follow-up study of all persons who were employed for at least 6 months at a Texaco producing or pipeline location and who worked at some time during the period 1946-1980. Of the 11,098 white men in the cohort, 8,964 were alive, 1,886 were known to be dead, and the vital status of the remaining 248 as of December 31, 1980 was unknown. The standardized mortality ratio (SMR) of 63 for all causes was significantly low, on the basis of 2,976 expected deaths. Statistically significant deficits also were seen for all major causes of death. Mortality patterns were also examined for the major job categories in these departments. Similar patterns of mortality were seen, although there was a significant excess of thyroid cancer in those employed as pumper-gaugers. However, it was based on only four cases.

Chemical Industry↗
PubMed1986

Texaco Mortality Study: II. Patterns of mortality among white males by specific job groups.

While an earlier report on the Texaco Mortality Study cohort showed no statistically significant elevations for any cause of death for the white males, it did not preclude any excess risk of mortality within subgroups of workers. In this study, an employee's complete job history was used to determine his work categories, and patterns of mortality were examined for the more common job categories. All of the job categories examined showed deficits for mortality overall, and the patterns seen were similar to those for the entire cohort. Significant elevations were seen in pancreas cancer mortality for office and managerial people and in leukemia mortality for pipefitters and boilermakers. Other elevations of particular interest based on five or more deaths were brain cancer for laboratory workers and benign neoplasms in pipefitters and boilermakers. These associations were examined by latency and years worked, and no consistently positive associations were seen. It was not possible to take into account calendar time of exposure in this type of analysis, nor could any specific chemicals or levels of exposure be associated with the job categories where the standardized mortality ratios were elevated.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Texaco mortality study. I. Mortality among refinery, petrochemical, and research workers.

The Texaco mortality study is a retrospective follow-up study of all persons who were employed for at least five years in a refining, petrochemical, or research facility and who worked at some time during the period 1947 through 1977. Of the 19,077 white men in the cohort, 14,609 were alive, 4,024 were known to be dead, and the vital status of the remaining 444 was unknown as of Dec. 31, 1977. The standardized mortality ratio (SMR) of 75 for all causes was significantly low, on the basis of 5,332 expected deaths. Statistically significant deficits also were seen for all major causes of death and for cancer of many sites, including lung, stomach, bladder, and colon. The SMR was greater than 100 for six causes of death: pancreas cancer, brain cancer, leukemia, Hodgkin's disease, other lymphatic cancer, and benign neoplasms. However, none of these increases was statistically significant, and all SMRs except that for benign neoplasms (SMR = 148) were under 119.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Mortality among ethylene oxide workers.

Because of reports linking an increased risk of leukemia with exposure to ethylene oxide, a mortality study of workers with potential exposure to ethylene oxide at the Texaco Chemical Company Plant in Port Neches, Tex., was undertaken. A total of 767 males with potential exposure to ethylene oxide were identified. Forty-six deaths occurred in this cohort with 80 expected (standardized mortality ratio; SMR = 58). No deaths from leukemia were seen, nor were there any statistically significant excesses from any specific causes of death.

Ethylene Oxide↗
PubMed1980

Another view.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Humans↗