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Biomedical subjects

O Axelson

Publications and source records attributed to O Axelson.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

The mortality of motor neuron disease in Sweden.

The age-standardized mortality from motor neuron disease in Sweden doubled from 1961 to 1985. The average annual rate during the period was 1.9 per 100,000 population. The male to female ratio was 1.2:1. The age-specific mortality rates had a peak at 70 to 79 years of age. When each birth cohort was followed up separately over time, the peak was less clear and in some cohorts the mortality rates increased continuously with advancing age. A significant increase of motor neuron disease among men was found in one Swedish county.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1990

Occupational risks of thyroid cancer: data from the Swedish Cancer-Environment Register, 1961-1979.

Using data from a record-linkage between the Swedish population census of 1960 and the Swedish Cancer Registry, we performed an explorative, hypothesis-generating analysis of the incidence of thyroid cancer in 208 occupations and 231 industries. Relative risks were computed with adjustment for age, period of follow-up, and geographic region. A total of 1,230 male and 2,937 female cases of thyroid cancer were reported during 1961-1979 among individuals aged 20-69 years in 1960. As a group, male blue-collar workers had a lower reported incidence than other men. Significantly elevated risks were seen among drivers, pharmacists, workers in the canning and preserving industry, workers in the petroleum industry, and among X-ray operators and laboratory assistants. Horticulture workers, painters in the construction industry, and unskilled manual workers showed decreased risks.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Some hygienic observations from the glass industry.

Metallic compounds and other agents used in the manufacturing of glass are probably responsible for the cancer risks observed for glassworkers, especially glassblowers. Few hygienic observations have been reported from the art glass industry. Three glassworks were therefore studied with regard to air concentrations of lead, arsenic, nickel and manganese. The hygienic conditions of the blow-pipes were investigated at these glassworks and another two with regard to inside deposits of slag containing lead, arsenic, manganese and nickel as possible transporters that cause oral exposure. Atomic absorption spectrophotometry was used for the analyses. Apart from lead, the metal concentrations in the air were around the detection limit. Glassworks producing heavy crystal glass usually had higher concentrations of lead in the air than the semi-crystal glassworks. Seven out of 12 samples from heavy crystal glassworks exceeded the Swedish threshold limit of 50 micrograms/m3, while only four out of 28 samples from the semi-crystal glassworks exceeded this limit. Regarding metals in the slag from inside the blow-pipes, the concentrations (geometrical means) of lead and nickel were higher in the heavy crystal glassworks (6.9 micrograms lead/mg slag, and 5.0 micrograms nickel/mg slag versus 0.7 micrograms lead/mg slag and 0.6 micrograms nickel/mg slag in semi-crystal glassworks, respectively). The concentration of arsenic was similarly low in the pipes from all the glassworks (approximately 0.30 micrograms/mg slag) and the concentration of manganese was only slightly higher in heavy crystal glassworks (5.4 micrograms/mg slag versus 3.6 micrograms/mg slag in semi-crystal glassworks).

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗
PubMed1990

Facial skin complaints and work at visual display units. An epidemiologic study of office employees.

A questionnaire about skin rashes and their symptoms was sent to 3877 randomly selected office employees with different degrees of exposure to video display units (participation rate 96.6%). From this group 809 randomly selected persons were examined and interviewed. Itching and burning sensations with few visible signs were more common among persons who were highly exposed than among those in the nonexposed category. Objective facial signs were not significantly more common among persons in the highly exposed category. No dose-response effect was observed regarding the amount of video display unit exposure and objective skin signs. Unilateral skin rashes and skin malignancies were found in the same frequency in both highly exposed and the nonexposed persons. This study does not provide support for the hypothesis that video display unit work induces any recognized type of facial skin disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Evaluation of a questionnaire for facial skin complaints related to work at visual display units.

A questionnaire about facial skin problems was answered by 3745 office employees, with the aim of discovering whether VDU work causes skin disease. From this group, 809 randomly selected persons were examined and interviewed by a dermatologist. There was a relatively good correspondence (87%) between the results from the interviews and the questionnaires, but the questionnaire results corresponded to current status in only 46% of the cases. No important difference was seen between those who were informed and those who were not informed about the purpose of the investigation. There was a relatively wide variation in the correlation between 2 responses to the same questions. In conclusion, the self-administered questionnaire seems to give reasonably adequate answers regarding the occurrence of more clear-cut symptoms over a period of time, rather than answers regarding the presence of signs at a particular point in time. However, less marked changes might not be picked up particularly well.

Computer Systems↗
PubMed1990

Interpretation of "negative" studies in occupational epidemiology.

Two criteria for an interpretation of noneffect are that the relative risk estimate be near unity and that the confidence interval be narrow; lack of statistical significance has no bearing on this issue. A further requirement is that the relative risk estimate not be near the null value as an effect of non-differential exposure misclassification, negative confounding, or some other systematic error. Occasionally, when results are unexpected or difficult to accept, studies are "underinterpreted" as negative or inconclusive on the basis of arguments such as "confounding," "crude exposure assessment," or "lack of a known mechanism." The present paper supports the position that these arguments are commonly invalid. Scientific standards should be used to separate causal associations from noncausal ones, but in public health decisions this practice has to be balanced by the principle that the "benefit of the doubt" should be given to the persons subject to potential risk.

Bias↗
PubMed1990

A case-referent study on lung cancer mortality among ceramic workers.

A case-referent study has been carried out to test the hypothesis that silica-exposed ceramic workers have an increased risk of lung cancer. Next-of-kin interviews were conducted for 72 lung cancer cases and 319 referents, all deceased, to collect work histories and smoking habits. The diagnosis of silicosis was ascertained by checking the individual files of cases of silicosis where compensation had been received. It was found that, after controlling for age, period of death and smoking, workers in the ceramic industry had a higher lung cancer risk than those in other occupations in which there was no exposure to silica (Mantel-Haenszel rate ratio = 2.0; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.1-3.5). This increased risk was mainly due to a rate ratio of 3.9 (95% CI = 1.8-8.3) for silicotic individuals, while for non-silicotic ceramic workers it was only 1.4 (95% CI = 0.7-2.8). Exposure to other carcinogens in the workplace seems not to play any role in the development of lung cancer. Furthermore, the data do not suggest an increased risk for silicotic non-smokers. The results of the study tend to confirm previous evidence of an excess risk among silicotic subjects and points to a possible etiological role of the silicotic process itself in lung cancer.

Case-Control Studies↗
PubMed1989

Colon cancer, physical activity, and occupational exposures. A case-control study.

A case-control study on colon cancer was conducted encompassing 329 cases and 658 controls. Occupations and various exposures were assessed by questionnaires. A decreased risk was found in persons with physically active occupations. This effect was most pronounced in colon descendens and sigmoideum with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.49 whereas no reduced risk was found for right-sided colon cancer. Regarding specific jobs, reduced ORs were found for agricultural, forestry, and saw mill workers and increased OR for railway employees. High-grade exposure to asbestos or to organic solvents gave a two-fold increased risk. Regarding exposure to trichloroethylene in general, a slightly increased risk was found whereas such exposure among dry cleaners gave a seven-fold increase of the risk.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1989

Mortality pattern of silicotic subjects in the Latium region, Italy.

A mortality study was carried out on 595 workers who were compensated for silicosis in the Latium region, Italy, during the period 1946-84 who died between 1 January 1969 and 31 December 1984. Respiratory disorders, tuberculosis, lung cancer, bone cancer, and cirrhosis of the liver showed significantly increased risk ratios (4.1, 3.7, 1.5, 4.1, and 1.9 respectively); excesses of brain cancer and leukaemia did not reach statistical significance. Lung cancer mortality was further analysed by age, period of compensation, final degree of disability, and occupational activity. The possible confounding role of smoking was assessed by comparing the lifetime smoking habits of a sample of silicotic subjects with those of the general male population as estimated by a national health survey; the prevalence of ever smokers among silicotic subjects (70.7%) was similar to that estimated for the general population (68.5%). The present study indicates that silicosis is associated with lung cancer even though it does not clarify the respective roles of exposure to silica and silicosis.

Adult↗