Median (range) of exposure parameters stratified for potential risk factors: harbour workers and controls
| Parameter | n | Blood | Urine | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lead (μg/l) | Cadmium (μg/l) | Mercury (μg/l) | Cadmium (μg/g creatinine) | Nickel (μg/g creatinine) | Mercury (μg/g creatinine) | Arsenic (μg/g creatinine) | ||
| *pMann-Whitney U test < 0.05; **pMann-Whitney U test < 0.01; ***pMann-Whitney U test < 0.001. | ||||||||
| Harbour workers | ||||||||
| Work on suction dredgers | ||||||||
| No | 60 | 42.3 (5.0–172.8) | 0.7 (0.2–3.1) | 1.7 (0.3–9.6) | 0.4 (0.06–2.0) | 0.7 (0.1–7.3) | 0.6 (0.1–2.9) | 6.2 (0.5–67.9) |
| Yes | 24 | 43.3 (13.5–73.6) | 0.9 (0.2–3.0) | 2.4 (0.3–6.4) | 0.5 (0.06–1.4)* | 0.6 (0.2–3.0) | 0.6 (1.2–2.3) | 5.7 (2.2–66.0) |
| Duration of employment | ||||||||
| <median | 36 | 36.9 (5.0–172.8) | 0.7 (0.2–2.8) | 1.7 (0.3–6.4) | 0.4 (0.06–1.3) | 0.7 (0.2–2.7) | 0.6 (0.1–2.3) | 5.7 (1.5–56.0) |
| ⩾median | 47 | 42.7 (18.8–108.6) | 0.7 (0.2–3.1) | 1.9 (0.7–9.6) | 0.6 (0.06–2.0) | 0.8 (0.1–7.3) | 0.7 (0.1–2.9) | 6.2 (0.5–67.9) |
| Harbour workers and controls | ||||||||
| Controls | 84 | 51.4 (13.6–115.2) | 0.5 (0.2–4.1) | 2.2 (0.3–9.4) | 0.3 (0.0–2.3) | 0.9 (0.1–7.2) | 0.7 (0.1–4.2) | 5.4 (0.8–89.2) |
| Harbour workers | 84 | 42.3 (5.0–172.8)* | 0.7 (0.2–3.1)** | 1.8 (0.3–9.6) | 0.4 (0.0–2.0)* | 0.7 (0.1–7.3* | 0.6 (0.1–2.9) | 6.0 (0.5–67.9) |
| Age | ||||||||
| <median | 85 | 45.5 (5.0–172.8) | 0.5 (0.2–4.1) | 1.9 (0.3–6.8) | 0.3 (0.04–2.3) | 0.7 (0.1–3.8) | 0.7 (0.1–3.9) | 5.0 (0.5–79.0) |
| ⩾median | 83 | 50.9 (19.4–110.2) | 0.6 (0.2–3.6) | 2.3 (0.3–9.6)* | 0.5 (0.05–2.1)*** | 0.8 (0.1–7.3) | 0.6 (0.1–4.2) | 6.4 (0.8–89.2)*** |
| Smoking | ||||||||
| Non-smokers | 105 | 47.6 (5.0–115.2) | 0.4 (0.2–2.6) | 2.2 (0.3–9.6) | 0.3 (0.04–2.0) | 0.8 (0.1–7.2) | 0.7 (0.1–4.2) | 5.6 (0.5–89.2) |
| Current smokers | 63 | 50.2 (14.1–172.8) | 1.3 (0.2–4.1)*** | 1.8 (0.3–6.8) | 0.5 (0.07–2.3)*** | 0.8 (0.1–7.3) | 0.6 (0.1–2.9) | 5.4 (0.8–79.0) |
| Fish consumption 5 days prior to examination | ||||||||
| No | 87 | 44.7 (5.0–172.8) | 0.5 (0.2–3.3) | 1.6 (0.3–6.1) | 0.3 (0.04–2.1) | 0.8 (0.1–7.3) | 0.7 (0.1–3.3) | 5.0 (0.5–67.8) |
| Yes | 81 | 50.9 (13.6–110.2) | 0.6 (0.2–4.1) | 2.5 (0.7–9.6)*** | 0.4 (0.05–2.3) | 0.7 (0.1–7.2) | 0.7 (0.1–4.2) | 6.7 (0.8–89.2)*** |
| Amalgam fillings | ||||||||
| None | 43 | 50.9 (13.6–115.2) | 0.5 (0.2–2.9) | 1.7 (0.3–9.4) | 0.4 (0.05–2.1) | 0.9 (0.2–7.2) | 0.4 (0.1–2.1) | 5.9 (1.5–79.0) |
| At least 1 | 125 | 47.6 (5.0–172.8) | 0.6 (0.2–4.1 | 2.1 (0.3–9.6) | 0.4 (0.04–2.3) | 0.8 (0.1–7.3) | 0.7 (0.1–4.2)*** | 5.5 (0.5–89.2) |