Mortality Among Hardmetal Production Workers: German Historical Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study was to investigate a cohort in German hardmetal industry, especially relationship between exposures to cobalt, with and without tungsten, and risks of total and cause-specific mortality. METHODS:The cohort comprises blue-collar workers at three German plants who were...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of occupational and environmental medicine 2017-12, Vol.59 (12), p.e288-e296
Main Authors: Morfeld, Peter, Groß, Juliane Valérie, Erren, Thomas C., Noll, Birgit, Yong, Mei, Kennedy, Katrin J., Esmen, Nurtan A., Zimmerman, Sarah D., Buchanich, Jeanine M., Marsh, Gary M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Aged, 80 and over
Alloys - adverse effects
Cause of Death
Chemical Industry - statistics & numerical data
Cobalt
Cobalt - adverse effects
Cohort analysis
Cohort Studies
Female
Germany
Human exposure
Humans
Lung cancer
Lung Neoplasms - chemically induced
Lung Neoplasms - mortality
Male
Middle Aged
Mortality
Occupational Diseases - mortality
Occupational Exposure - adverse effects
Occupational Exposure - statistics & numerical data
Original Article
Proportional Hazards Models
Respiratory diseases
Retrospective Studies
Risk assessment
Risk Factors
Tungsten - adverse effects
Young Adult
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Summary:OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study was to investigate a cohort in German hardmetal industry, especially relationship between exposures to cobalt, with and without tungsten, and risks of total and cause-specific mortality. METHODS:The cohort comprises blue-collar workers at three German plants who were employed in hardmetal processing. Individual cumulative exposures and long-term average concentrations were estimated for cobalt, nickel, tungsten, respirable, and inhalable dust. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated for external comparisons. Time-dependent multivariable Cox models were performed for internal analyses. RESULTS:Elevated SMRs were found for all-cause, heart diseases, and nonmalignant respiratory diseases mortality, but not for lung cancer. Internal analyses did not show increased risks for any endpoints, and no exposure–response relationship was indicated. CONCLUSIONS:This study does not provide evidence for elevated lung cancer risks. Methodologic limitations, incomplete ascertainment of death causes in particular, impede conclusions about exposure effects.
ISSN:1076-2752
1536-5948
DOI:10.1097/JOM.0000000000001061