Mortality among employees of lead battery plants and lead-producing plants, 1947-1980.

Abstract

Mortality among employees of lead battery plants and lead-producing plants, . Scand J Work En viron Health II (1985) 331-345. Two cohorts of male lead workers, 4 519 battery plant workers and 2 300 lead production workers, all of whom had been employed for at least one year during the period I January 1946 through 31 December 1970, were observed for mortality during the 34 years from 1 Januar y 1947 through 31 December 1980. Vital status as of the closing date was determined for 94.7 lifo of the former group and 91.6 lifo of the latter. There were 1 718 deaths in the first cohort and 621 in the second. Mortality from all causes combined was significantly greater than expected in each cohort, the standardized mortality ratio (SMR) being 107 and 113, respectively. Among the battery plant workers the greater than expected mortality rate resulted in large part from a significant number of excess deaths from malignant neoplasms (SMR 113), other hypertensive disease (mainly renal) (SMR 320), chronic nephritis (SMR 222), and a group of ill-defined conditions (SMR 355). Among the lead production workers the pattern was similar, with a significant number of excess deaths from other hypertensive disease (SMR 475), hypertensive heart disease (SMR 203), chronic nephritis (SMR 265), and ill-defined conditions (SMR 214). There was also a significant excess of deaths from external causes (SMR 143). The SMR for total malignancies was 113, but this value was not significantly elevated at the 5 % level. In neither cohort were deaths from cerebrovascular disease in significant excess, the SMR being 93 and 132, respectively. A proport ionate mortality analysis showed that the excess deaths from cerebrovascular diseaseand from hypertensive heart disease among smelter workers were in part due to the high proportion of nonwhites in the smelter populations. The stomach, liver, and lungs were the sites responsible for most excess cancer deaths in both cohorts, but the elevated SMR values were statistically significant only for gastric and lung cancers in battery plant workers. There were no excess deaths from malignancies of the kidney, brain, or Iymphopoeitic system in either cohort. It is impossible to relate the observed mortality to levels of lead exposure; because of meager quantit ative information prior to 1960. It is known that past exposures had been very high. Ethnicity, diet, alcohol, and cigarette smoking could not be ruled out as possibleconfounding etiologic factors for the cancer deaths.

Mortality of Italian lead smelter workers

“…In a death certificate study of battery and lead production workers in the United States, a significant excess risk of death from hypertension was found, but the authors observed that this finding was partially explained by changes in the ICD coding of hypertensive renal disease (17). Although mortality rates from hypertension were not available in our study for calculating expected events, we observed a reduction in mortality from cardiovascular diseases and, particularly, from ischemic heart disease.…”

“…Negative results have been reported for battery workers (15) and glass workers (1 6), two occupational groups which usually experience lower exposures to the metal than smelter workers. Results from 6 lead production facilities and 10 battery plants in the United States found excess risks of stomach cancer and lung cancer, both inversely related to the length of employment, and no excess risk of kidney cancer (17). However, only 2 deaths from kidney cancer occurred, and they were among workers in lead smelting, refining, and recycling who had 11-20 years of employment and who started work before 1946 (SMR 800).…”

“…However, only 2 deaths from kidney cancer occurred, and they were among workers in lead smelting, refining, and recycling who had 11-20 years of employment and who started work before 1946 (SMR 800). The mortality from chronic nephritis was also significantly increased, and all deaths from this disease occuil-ed among lead smelters employed 2 20 years (17). An analysis of kidney cancer risk among Finnish workers whose blood lead level was monitored found no association with blood lead levels, although the follow-up period may have been short, and lead smelters, who showed the highest blood lead values, comprised only 2% of the cohort (18).…”

Molecular and ionic mimicry and the transport of toxic metals

“…This accumulation has been shown to compromise some ability of bone cells to respond to hormones and also may result in alterations in the plasma levels of 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D 3 (Goyer, 1993;Pounds et al, 1991). Long-term exposure to Pb 2+ may also result in a nephropathy or renal adenocarcinoma (Baker et al, 1980;Buchet et al, 1980;Cooper et al, 1985;Fowler, 1993;Lilis, 1981;Goyer, 1982Goyer, , 1993Selevan et al, 1985).…”

Cumulative lead exposure in relation to mortality and lung cancer morbidity in a cohort of primary smelter workers

“…One problem with studies of primary smelter workers is the concomitant exposure to other metals (24)(25)(26); this problem also exists for lead-exposed workers (27). Increased lung cancer mortality and morbidity has been connected with exposure to arsenic, which has been reported in several epidemiologic studies (28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36)(37)(38).…”