Background: After the Chernobyl nuclear accident on April 26, 1986, all children in the contaminated territory of the Narodichesky region, Zhitomir Oblast, Ukraine, were obliged to participate in a yearly medical examination. We present the results from these examinations for the years 1993 to 1998. Since the hematopoietic system is an important target, we investigated the association between residential soil density of 137 Caesium ( 137 Cs) and hemoglobin concentration, and erythrocyte, platelet, and leukocyte counts in 1,251 children, using 4,989 repeated measurements taken from 1993 to 1998.

BackgroundAfter the Chernobyl accident in 1986, children of the contaminated Narodichesky region of Ukraine were obliged to participate in a yearly medical screening. They have been exposed to 137cesium (137Cs; half-life = 30 years) in contaminated soils, air, and food.ObjectiveUsing a “natural experiment” approach and a longitudinal prospective cohort study design, we investigated the association of soil 137Cs and spirometry measures for 415 children using 1,888 repeated measurements from 1993 to 1998.MethodsMean baseline village soil 137Cs measurements, which varied from 29.0 to 879 kBq/m2, were used as exposure indicators. A standardized spirometry protocol and prediction equations specific to Ukrainian children were used by the same pulmonologist in all screenings.ResultsChildren living in villages with the highest quintile of soil 137Cs were 2.60 times more likely to have forced vital capacity (FVC) < 80% of predicted [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.07–6.34] and 5.08 times more likely to have a ratio of forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1) to FVC% < 80% (95% CI, 1.02–25.19). We found statistically significant evidence of both airway obstruction (FEV1/FVC%, peak expiratory flow, and maximum expiratory flow at 25%, 50%, and 75% of FVC) and restriction (FVC) with increasing soil 137Cs.ConclusionsThese findings are unique and suggest significant airway obstruction and restriction consequences for children chronically exposed to low-dose radioactive contaminants such as those found downwind of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.

Individual whole-body concentration of (137)Cesium is associated with decreased blood counts in children in the Chernobyl-contaminated areas, Ukraine, 2008-2010. Link to publication Citation for published version (APA): Lindgren, A., Stepanova, E., Vdovenko, V., McMahon, D., Litvinetz, O., Leonovich, E., & Karmaus, W. (2015). Individual whole-body concentration of (137)Cesium is associated with decreased blood counts in children in the Chernobyl-contaminated areas, Ukraine, 2008Ukraine, -2010 General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights.• Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research.• You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal Children in this study were born at least four years after the accident and thus exposed to low doses of ionizing radiation from 137 Cs. This cross-sectional study indicates that low levels may be associated with decreased blood counts, but we cannot exclude that these results are due to residual confounding factors.

BackgroundAfter the Chernobyl nuclear incident in 1986, children in the Narodichesky region, located 80 km west of the Chernobyl Power Plant, were exposed to 137Cesium (137Cs). Little is known about the effects of chronic low-level radiation on humoral immune responses in children residing in contaminated areas.MethodsIn four different approaches we investigated the effect of residential 137Cs exposure on immunoglobulins A, G, M, and specific immunoglobulin E in children. In a dynamic cohort (1993–1998) we included 617 children providing 2,407 repeated measurements; 421 and 523 children in two cross-sectional samples (1997–1998 and 2008–2010, respectively); and 25 participants in a small longitudinal cohort (1997–2010). All medical exams, blood collections, and analyses were conducted by the same team. We used mixed linear models to analyze repeated measurements in cohorts and general linear regression models for cross-sectional studies.ResultsResidential soil contamination in 2008 was highly correlated with the individual body burden of 137Cs. Serum IgG and IgM concentrations increased between 1993 and 1998. Children with higher 137Cs soil exposure had lower serum IgG levels, which, however, increased in the small cohort assessed between 1997 and 2010. Children within the fourth quintile of 137Cs soil exposure (266–310 kBq/m2) had higher IgM serum concentrations between 1993 and 1998 but these declined between 1997 and 2010. IgA remained stable with median 137Cs exposures related to higher IgA levels, which was corroborated in the cross-sectional study of 2008–2010. Specific IgE against indoor allergens was detected less often in children with higher 137Cs exposure.ConclusionsOur findings show radiation-related alterations of immunoglobulins which by themselves do not constitute adverse health effects. Further investigations are necessary to understand how these changes affect health status.

BackgroundFollowing the Chernobyl nuclear disaster of 1986, vast areas of Ukraine became contaminated with radionuclides. We examined health effects of school-based food intervention for children in a rural region Narodichi, Ukraine, exposed to low-level radiation through diet of locally produced foods. Until 1995, children received three daily meals with low content of artificial radionuclides which were subsequently reduced to two.MethodsAnnual health screening data (1993–1998) were examined using a quasi-experimental regression discontinuity analysis (n = 947 children; 3,573 repeated measurements). Generalized Estimating Equation models evaluated effect of the food supplementation reduction on hematologic measures and prevalence of anemia, acute respiratory illnesses and diseases of immune system.ResultsPrior improvement of several hematologic parameters diminished after food supplementation was reduced. From 1995 to 1996, levels of hemoglobin and erythrocytes decreased from 12.63 (95 % CI: 12.56-12.71) to 12.46 g/dL (% CI: 12.39-12.52) and from 4.10 (95 % CI: 4.07-4.12) to 4.02 (95 % CI: 4.00-4.04) × 1012/L, respectively. In agreement, the prevalence ratio (PR) of previously declining anemia increased from 0.57 to 1.31 per year (pinteraction < .0001). The relation between food supplementation and hemoglobin levels was modified by residential 137Cs soil levels. After food supply reduction, PR of common cold and bronchitis increased from 1.27 to 2.32 per year (pinteraction = 0.01) and from 1.09 to 1.24 per year (pinteraction = 0.43), respectively.ConclusionsFood supplementation provided by the Ukrainian government likely prevented development of anemia in many of the children residing in the contaminated district. Food supplementation after the community exposure to radioactivity through a diet of locally grown foods should be considered as an effective approach to reduce adverse health effects of radiation.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12940-015-0084-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.