Journal Article

Occupational Exposure to Solvents and Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Population-Based, Case - Control Study in Four Nordic Countries

Pentti Kyyrönen, Laufey Tryggvadottir, Timo Kauppinen, Madar Talibov, Pär Sparén, Susanna Lehtinen-Jacks, Elsebeth Lynge, Kristina Kjærheim, Elisabete Weiderpass, Jan Ivar Martinsen, Eero Pukkala

2014

Overview

Objective The aim of the current study was to assess the relation between occupational exposure to solvents and the risk of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Methods Altogether, this study comprises 15 332 incident cases of AML diagnosed in Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Iceland from 1961-2005 and 76 660 controls matched by year of birth, sex, and country. Occupational records were linked with Nordic Occupational Cancer Study job exposure matrix (JEM) to estimate quantitative values for 26 occupational exposure factors. Hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated by using conditional logistic regression models. Results We did not observe statistically significantly increased risk for exposure to any of the solvents. HR estimates for high levels of toluene (HR 1.35, 95% CI 0.74-2.46), aromatic hydrocarbon solvents (ARHC) (HR 1.18, 95% CI 0.76-1.86), and moderate-to-high levels of trichloroethylene were slightly but non-significantly elevated. We did not observe an association between benzene exposure and AML in this study. Conclusions This study did not provide clear evidence for an association between occupational solvent exposure and AML. There was some indication for an excess risk in the groups of workers exposed to toluene, trichloroethylene, and ARHC.

• Publisher: Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment ＆ Health,Nordic Association of Occupation Safety and Health,Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health,Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health,Nordic Association of Occupational Safety and Health (NOROSH)
• Subject: acute myeloid leukemia / Adult / Aged / Aged, 80 and over / Analytical estimating / aromatic hydrocarbon solvent / Aromatic hydrocarbons / Benzene / Benzene - toxicity / Biological and medical sciences / Cancer / Case control studies / case–control study / Census records / Censuses / Chemical and industrial products toxicology. Toxic occupational diseases / Chemical hazards / Chlorides / Codes / Confidence intervals / Emigration / Female / Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases / Humans / Hydrocarbons / Incidence / JEM / job exposure matrix / Leukemia / Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute - chemically induced / Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute - epidemiology / Leukemias. Malignant lymphomas. Malignant reticulosis. Myelofibrosis / Male / Medical sciences / Middle Aged / Morbidity / Multiple tumors. Solid tumors. Tumors in childhood (general aspects) / Myeloid leukemia / Nordic Occupational Cancer Study / Occupational Diseases - chemically induced / Occupational Diseases - epidemiology / Occupational exposure / Occupational Exposure - adverse effects / Occupational Exposure - analysis / Occupational hazards / Occupational medicine / Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine / Radiation / Regression analysis / Risk Assessment / Scandinavian and Nordic Countries - epidemiology / solvent / Solvents / Solvents - toxicity / Toluene / Toluene - toxicity / Toxicology / Trichloroethylene / Trichloroethylene - toxicity / Tumors / Young Adult