Characteristics of the study population
| Exposure to waste water | ||
|---|---|---|
| No (n = 429) | Yes (n = 349) | |
| Figures are median (5th–95th centile) or number (percentage). | ||
| GGT activity expressed as percentage of the upper limit of the reference range according to sex (see methods). | ||
| Pack-years: median and centiles calculated in the subgroup of cigarette smokers only. | ||
| Age (years) | 41 (22–58) | 46 (30–60) |
| Female sex | 29 (7) | 1 (0.3) |
| Education level | ||
| Low | 104 (25) | 39 (11) |
| Middle | 307 (72) | 306 (88) |
| High | 14 (3) | 4 (1) |
| Childhood | ||
| Switzerland | 316 (74) | 315 (90) |
| Other countries | 113 (26) | 34 (10) |
| Smoking | ||
| Never | 172 (40) | 105 (30) |
| Former | 101 (24) | 104 (30) |
| Current | 154 (36) | 140 (40) |
| Pack-years | 16.5 (1.0–62.5) | 20.0 (1.3–64.0) |
| Alcohol | ||
| No/only socially | 286 (67) | 229 (66) |
| Daily | 141 (33) | 119 (34) |
| GGT activity (%) | 24.4 (12.8–73.3) | 29.1 (12.8–93.0) |
| Exposure to sewage (years) | 0 | 10 (1–27) |