Top

International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health

Published in:

01-12-2010 | Original Article

Relationship between occupational exposure to ionizing radiation and mortality at the French electricity company, period 1961–2003

Authors: Olivier Laurent, Camille Metz-Flamant, Agnès Rogel, Dominique Hubert, Alexandre Riedel, Yves Garcier, Dominique Laurier

Published in: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health | Issue 8/2010

Abstract

Purpose

Epidemiological studies in nuclear industry workers can produce relevant information to better appreciate the health risks related to chronic external exposure to low doses of ionizing radiation (IR). This work examined the relations between exposure to IR and mortality in workers at the French Electricity Company (EDF), followed up to year 2003.

Methods

Permanent staff who had worked for at least 1 year at EDF during period 1961–1994 and who had been monitored for exposure to IR were included (n = 22,393). One-sided trend tests for mortality according to cumulative dose and relative risks at 100 mSv were estimated using Poisson regression. Main analyses were stratified on age, sex, calendar time and education.

Results

A total of 874 deaths occurred, and 66 workers were lost to follow-up. Median age at end of follow-up was 48. None of the causes of death investigated increased significantly according to dose, except cerebrovascular diseases (p = 0.01), but this last observation was based on only 22 cases.

Conclusions

These results do not allow dismissing a possible influence of IR on cancer risk in this population. The cohort is still relatively young and therefore confidence intervals for estimated relative risks remain wide, although they have considerably narrowed since a previous analysis. Chance is a possible explanation for the association between IR and cerebrovascular mortality, due to the low number of cases on which it is based. These results thus need to be stabilized by conducting joint analyses with similar cohorts.

Ahn YS et al (2008) Cancer admission and mortality in workers exposed to ionizing radiation in Korea. J Occup Environ Med 50:791–803CrossRef

Bhatti P et al (2008) Can low-dose radiation increase risk of cardiovascular disease? Lancet 372:697–699CrossRef

Cardis E et al (2007) The 15-country collaborative study of cancer risk among radiation workers in the nuclear industry: estimates of radiation-related cancer risks. Radiat Res 167:396–416CrossRef

Gilbert ES (1989) Issues in analysing the effects of occupational exposure to low levels of radiation. Stat Med 8:173–187CrossRef

Goldberg M et al (1996) The epidemiological information system of the French national electricity and gas company: the SI-EPI project. Med Lav 87:16–28

Haustein KO (2006) Smoking and poverty. Eur J Cardiovasc Prev Rehabil 13:312–318CrossRef

IARC (2000) Monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risks to humans. Volume 75. Ionizing radiation, Part 1: X- and gamma (g)-radiation, and neutrons

IARC (2004) Monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risks to humans. Volume 83. Tobacco Smoke and involuntary smoking

Iwasaki T et al (2003) Second analysis of mortality of nuclear industry workers in Japan, 1986–1997. Radiat Res 159:228–238CrossRef

Little MP et al (2008a) New models for evaluation of radiation-induced lifetime cancer risk and its uncertainty employed in the UNSCEAR 2006 report. Radiat Res 169:660–676CrossRef

Little MP et al (2008b) A systematic review of epidemiological associations between low and moderate doses of ionizing radiation and late cardiovascular effects, and their possible mechanisms. Radiat Res 169:99–109CrossRef

Lopez-Azpiazu I et al (2003) Disparities in food habits in Europe: systematic review of educational and occupational differences in the intake of fat. J Hum Nutr Diet 16:349–364CrossRef

McGeoghegan D et al (2008) The non-cancer mortality experience of male workers at British Nuclear Fuels plc, 1946–2005. Int J Epidemiol 37:506–518CrossRef

Metz-Flamant C et al (2009) Irradiations à faibles doses et risque de pathologie cardiovasculaire: revue des études épidémiologiques. Rev Epidemiol Sante Publique 57(5):347–359CrossRef

Muirhead CR et al (1999) Occupational radiation exposure and mortality: second analysis of the National Registry for Radiation Workers. J Radiol Prot 19:3–26CrossRef

Muirhead CR et al (2009) Mortality and cancer incidence following occupational radiation exposure: third analysis of the National Registry for Radiation Workers. Br J Cancer 100:206–212CrossRef

National Research Council, Committee on the Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation (2005) Health Risks from Exposures to Low Levels of Ionizing Radiation (BEIR VII). National Academies Press, Washington, DC

Preston DL et al (2004) Effect of recent changes in atomic bomb survivor dosimetry on cancer mortality risk estimates. Radiat Res 162:377–389CrossRef

Rogel A et al (2005) Mortality of workers exposed to ionizing radiation at the French National Electricity Company. Am J Ind Med 47:72–82CrossRef

Rogel A et al (2009) Mortality in nuclear workers of the French electricity company: period 1968–2003. Rev Epidemiol Sante Publique 57:257–265CrossRef

Telle-Lamberton M et al (2007) External radiation exposure and mortality in a cohort of French nuclear workers. Occup Environ Med 64:694–700CrossRef

Thierry-Chef I et al (2007) The 15-country collaborative study of cancer risk among radiation workers in the nuclear industry: study of errors in dosimetry. Radiat Res 167:380–395CrossRef

UNSCEAR (2008) Report to the general assembly, with scientific annexes. Volume I. United Nations, New York

Vrijheid M et al (2007) Mortality from diseases other than cancer following low doses of ionizing radiation: results from the 15-Country Study of nuclear industry workers. Int J Epidemiol 36:1126–1135CrossRef

Yang S et al (2007) Socioeconomic and psychosocial exposures across the life course and binge drinking in adulthood: population-based study. Am J Epidemiol 165:184–193CrossRef

Zablotska LB et al (2004) Analysis of mortality among Canadian nuclear power industry workers after chronic low-dose exposure to ionizing radiation. Radiat Res 161:633–641CrossRef

Title: Relationship between occupational exposure to ionizing radiation and mortality at the French electricity company, period 1961–2003
Authors: Olivier Laurent
Camille Metz-Flamant
Agnès Rogel
Dominique Hubert
Alexandre Riedel
Yves Garcier
Dominique Laurier
Publication date: 01-12-2010
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health / Issue 8/2010
Print ISSN: 0340-0131
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1246
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-010-0509-3

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Relationship between occupational exposure to ionizing radiation and mortality at the French electricity company, period 1961–2003

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 8/2010

Surfactant protein-D and exposure to bioaerosols in wastewater and garbage workers

New-onset adult asthma in relation to damp and moldy workplaces

The German experience 10 years after the latex allergy epidemic: need for further preventive measures in healthcare employees with latex allergy

Associations between psychological distress, workplace accidents, workplace failures and workplace successes

Pregnancy outcomes in female hairdressers

Prevalence and associated factors of depressive symptoms among Chinese doctors: a cross-sectional survey