The deepwater horizon oil spill coast guard cohort study: A cross-sectional study of acute respiratory health symptoms

Alexander, Melannie; Engel, Lawrence S.; Olaiya, Nathan; Wang, Li; Barrett, J.; Weems, Laura; Schwartz, Erica; Rusiecki, Jennifer

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2017.11.044

Cited by 40 publications

(32 citation statements)

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“…Research on past oil spills has shown some acute health consequences among clean-up workers and individuals from affected communities, including anxiety and post-traumatic stress [ 7 ], eye and skin irritation [ 8 ], and lower respiratory tract symptoms [ 9 ] up to one year following oil spill exposure. In several studies, longer durations of oil spill work were associated with acute respiratory symptoms, including among US Coast Guard personnel deployed to work on the Deepwater Horizon spill [ 10 ], and Hebei Spirit oil spill workers [ 11 ]. Persistent respiratory symptoms were observed among clean-up workers 5 years following the Prestige oil spill [ 12 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Deepwater Horizon oil spill exposures and nonfatal myocardial infarction in the GuLF STUDY

et al. 2018

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BackgroundWorkers involved in the response and clean-up of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill faced possible exposures to crude oil, burning oil, dispersants and other pollutants in addition to physical and emotional stress. These exposures may have increased risk of myocardial infarction (MI) among oil spill workers.MethodsGulf Long-term Follow-up (GuLF) STUDY participants comprise individuals who either participated in the Deepwater Horizon response efforts or registered for safety training but were not hired. Oil spill-related exposures were assessed during enrollment interviews conducted in 2011–2013. We estimated risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals for the associations of clean-up work characteristics with self-reported nonfatal MI up to three years post-spill.ResultsAmong 31,109 participants without history of MI prior to the spill, 77% worked on the oil spill. There were 192 self-reported MI during the study period; 151 among workers. Among the full cohort, working on the oil spill clean-up (vs not working on the clean-up) and living in proximity to the oil spill (vs further away) were suggestively associated with a possible increased risk of nonfatal MI [RR: 1.22 (0.86, 1.73) and 1.15 (0.82, 1.60), respectively]. Among oil spill workers, working for > 180 days was associated with MI [RR for > 180 days (vs 1–30 days): 2.05 (1.05, 4.01)], as was stopping working due to heat [RR: 1.99 (1.43, 2.78)]. There were suggestive associations of maximum total hydrocarbon exposure ≥3.00 ppm (vs < 0.30 ppm) [RR: 1.69 (0.90, 3.19)] and working on decontaminating oiled equipment (vs administrative support) [1.72 (0.96, 3.09)] with nonfatal MI.ConclusionThis is the first study to assess the associations between oil spill exposures and MI. Results suggest that working on the spill for > 180 days and stopping work due to heat increased risk of nonfatal MI. Future research should evaluate whether the observed associations are related to specific chemical exposures or other stressors associated with the spill.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Deepwater Horizon oil spill exposures and nonfatal myocardial infarction in the GuLF STUDY

et al. 2018

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“…While oil spills have occurred across the world, studies on the associated mid- and long-term health effects have been reported only in three countries: Spain (Prestige oil spill), the USA (Exxon Valdez oil spill [ 19 , 20 , 21 ] and the BPDH oil spill [ 18 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 ]), and Korea (HSOS) [ 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ]. There have been concerns pertaining to the potential development of cancers in the affected areas; however, few studies have focused on the cancer incidence among residents after the oil spill despite their consequent exposure to carcinogenic substances.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cancer Incidence Trend in the Hebei Spirit Oil Spill Area, from 1999 to 2014: An Ecological Study

Choi¹,

Park²,

et al. 2018

IJERPH

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The Hebei Spirit oil spill (HSOS) occurred in the Republic of Korea on 7 December 2007. We aimed to describe the cancer incidence trend in Taean County before and after the oil spill. Five major cancers and leukemia were analyzed. Cancer incidence data were obtained from the Korean National Cancer Center. We compared the standardized incidence rates in Taean with those observed nationwide and selected three coastal areas. Joinpoint regression analysis was used to examine the trends in the average annual percent change and perform comparisons. The incidence rate of prostate cancer increased from 2007 to 2009 at an annual average of 39.3% (95% confidence interval (CI): −25.9, 161.8), 13.5% (95% CI: 11.7, 15.4), and 15.6% (95% CI: 11.9, 19.5), respectively, in Taean, nationwide, and in the coastal areas. The incidence of leukemia among women increased at an annual average of 9.5% (95% CI: −26.6, 63.4) in Taean and 0.6% (95% CI: 0.2, 0.9) nationwide; the rate decreased by 1.9% (95% CI: −12.8, 10.4) in the coastal areas. The trends between Taean County and the coastal areas differed only for prostate cancer (p = 0.0004). The incidence of prostate cancer among Taean County residents has increased since the HSOS.

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“…Therefore, our study cannot rule out the possibility of an early inflammatory response with subsequent downregulation. Part of the previous work on the respiratory system effects of VOCs inhalation from oil spills focused on acute effects (Alexander et al 2018;Campbell et al 1993;Janjua et al 2006;Lyons et al 1999;Morita et al 1999), yet there is a significant knowledge gap on the inflammatory response associated with such outcomes. Such studies have reported symptom descriptions, with few collecting spirometric data, blood hematology and biochemistry, or exposure analytes in urine, and did not attempt to gain insights on the biological mechanisms of the acute respiratory response through assessments of respiratory tract inflammation.…”

Section: Environmental Health Perspectivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Studies on oil VOC exposure by cleaning personnel reported a variety of acute and short-term effects, including manifestations consistent with upper airway and whole respiratory tract irritation. Such data were collected from the Deepwater Horizon leak (Alexander et al 2018;Goldstein et al 2011) and other spills (Campbell et al 1993(Campbell et al , 1994Janjua et al 2006;Lyons et al 1999;Meo et al 2008Meo et al , 2009Morita et al 1999). Asthma attacks were also reported (Eggleston 2007;Goldstein et al 2011;Leikauf 2002;Nurmatov et al 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Airway Hyperresponsiveness, Inflammation, and Pulmonary Emphysema in Rodent Models Designed to Mimic Exposure to Fuel Oil–Derived Volatile Organic Compounds Encountered during an Experimental Oil Spill

Amor-Carro

White

Fraga-Iriso

et al. 2020

Environ Health Perspect

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BACKGROUND: Fuel oil-derived volatile organic compounds (VOCs) inhalation is associated with accidental marine spills. After the Prestige petroleum tanker sank off northern Spain in 2002 and the Deepwater Horizon oil rig catastrophe in 2009, subjects involved in environmental decontamination showed signs of ongoing or residual lung disease up to 5 y after the exposure. OBJECTIVES: We aimed at investigating mechanisms driving persistent respiratory disease by developing an animal model of inhalational exposure to fuel oil-derived VOCs. METHODS: Female Wistar and Brown Norway (BN) rats and C57BL mice were exposed to VOCs produced from fuel oil mimicking the Prestige spill. Exposed animals inhaled the VOCs 2 h daily, 5 d per week, for 3 wk. Airway responsiveness to methacholine (MCh) was assessed, and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and lung tissues were analyzed after the exposure and following a 2-wk washout. RESULTS: Consistent with data from human studies, both strains of rats that inhaled fuel oil-derived VOCs developed airway hyperresponsiveness that persisted after the washout period, in the absence of detectable inflammation in any lung compartment. Histopathology and quantitative morphology revealed the development of peripherally distributed pulmonary emphysema, which persisted after the washout period, associated with increased alveolar septal cell apoptosis, microvascular endothelial damage of the lung parenchyma, and inhibited expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). DISCUSSION: In this rat model, fuel oil VOCs inhalation elicited alveolar septal cell apoptosis, likely due to DNA damage. In turn, the development of a peculiar pulmonary emphysema pattern altered lung mechanics and caused persistent noninflammatory airway hyperresponsiveness. Such findings suggest to us that humans might also respond to VOCs through physiopathological pathways different from those chiefly involved in typical cigarette smoke-driven emphysema in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). If so, this study could form the basis for a novel disease mechanism for lasting respiratory disease following inhalational exposure to catastrophic fuel oil spills.

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The deepwater horizon oil spill coast guard cohort study: A cross-sectional study of acute respiratory health symptoms

Abstract: Results from the present study suggested strong relationships between oil and oil dispersant exposures and acute respiratory symptoms among disaster responders. Future prospective studies will be needed to confirm these findings.

Cited by 40 publications

References 28 publications

Deepwater Horizon oil spill exposures and nonfatal myocardial infarction in the GuLF STUDY

Deepwater Horizon oil spill exposures and nonfatal myocardial infarction in the GuLF STUDY

Cancer Incidence Trend in the Hebei Spirit Oil Spill Area, from 1999 to 2014: An Ecological Study

Airway Hyperresponsiveness, Inflammation, and Pulmonary Emphysema in Rodent Models Designed to Mimic Exposure to Fuel Oil–Derived Volatile Organic Compounds Encountered during an Experimental Oil Spill

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