Non-malignant mortality among Norwegian silicon carbide smelter workers
- Correspondence to: Dr P Romundstad, Kreftregisteret, Institute for Population-based Cancer Research, N-0310 Montebello, Oslo, Norway; pr{at}kreftregisteret.no
- Accepted 17 October 2001
Abstract
Objectives: To investigate associations between exposures in the silicon carbide (SiC) industry and mortality from non-malignant diseases.
Methods: Mortality among 2562 men, working in one of three silicon carbide smelters was investigated, giving 52 618 person-years of follow up from 1962 to 1996. Dose-response relations were investigated by internal comparisons using Poisson regression and by stratified standardised mortality ratio (SMR) analyses.
Results: Mortality from all causes was significantly raised compared with the Norwegian mortalities among men, SMR=1.12, (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.05 to1.20). An excess mortality from asthma, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis combined was found, SMR=2.21 (95% CI 1.61 to 2.95), increasing from 1.05 in the unexposed category to 2.64 (95% CI 1.44 to 4.43) in the upper category of exposure to total dust. The Poisson regression analysis confirmed the results from the stratified SMR analyses, and suggested that smoking did not act as a confounder. No association was found for circulatory mortality.
Conclusions: There was an increased mortality from asthma, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis combined among SiC workers exposed to dust .
- SiC, silicon carbide
- PAH, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
- ICD-9, 9th revision of the international classification of diseases
