Ischemic Heart Disease in Workers at Mayak PA: Latency of Incidence Risk after Radiation Exposure

Abstract

We present an updated analysis of incidence and mortality from atherosclerotic induced ischemic heart diseases in the cohort of workers at the Mayak Production Association (PA). This cohort constitutes one of the most important sources for the assessment of radiation risk. It is exceptional because it comprises information on several other risk factors. While most of the workers have been exposed to external gamma radiation, a large proportion has additionally been exposed to internal radiation from inhaled plutonium. Compared to a previous study by Azizova et al. 2012, the updated dosimetry system MWDS-2008 has been applied and methods of analysis have been revised. We extend the analysis of the significant incidence risk and observe that main detrimental effects of external radiation exposure occur after more than about 30 years. For mortality, significant risk was found in males with an excess relative risk per dose of 0.09 (95% CI: 0.02; 0.16) while risk was insignificant for females. With respect to internal radiation exposure no association to risk could be established.

Radiation and circulatory disease

“…There have been a number of analyses of the Mayak worker cohort in the last few years [32,33,65-68], based on a similar underlying dataset characterized by: (a) cohort (18,797 - 22,377 workers first employed by the Mayak Production Association (PA) 1948-1972 or 1948-1982); (b) disease endpoints (all circulatory disease, IHD, CeVD morbidity/mortality); (c) years of follow-up (to end 2005 or end 2008); and (d) dosimetry system (all MWDS 2008), which yield slightly different risk estimates, because of variations in these (and possibly other) criteria. Risk estimates are also of course somewhat discrepant in other analysis of this cohort which differ more significantly with respect to criteria (a)-(d) [69-71].…”

Does deep inspiration breath-hold prolong life? Individual risk estimates of ischaemic heart disease after breast cancer radiotherapy

“…This study deals with IHD only, for which there is good evidence of radiation effects down to doses typically encountered in BC radiotherapy, with mean heart doses in the range 2-4 Gy [3], and even below (<1 Gy) [20,21]. Other radiation-induced heart diseases Fig.…”

Cardiovascular diseases related to ionizing radiation: The risk of low-dose exposure (Review)

“…The authors further noted that this finding should be interpreted with caution since it has never been reported in other studies. The latter analysis was further updated and extended by looking at the lag-time to progression of IHD and by using the updated dosimetry system MWDS-2008 (32). In that study, it was observed that the main detrimental effects of external radiation exposure occurred after >30 years.…”

“…Furthermore, at least for IHD and non-IHD, the ERR/Sv was consistent between the Japanese atomic bomb survivors, Mayak workers and other occupational cohorts (36). Although it should be noted that Schöllnberger et al and others advocate for the consideration and testing of other dose-response models for non-cancer effects (32,37). To conclude, the overall consensus of the above-mentioned studies is that there is a significant elevated CVD risk for doses >0.5 Gy (9,38).…”