Late effects of low blood lead concentrations in children on school performance and cognitive functions.

Background: Although it is known that lead is a neurotoxin that negatively impacts cognitive functions at low blood concentrations (B-Pb), little is known about the impact of early exposure on later cognitive functions.

Objectives: This study assesses the effects of very low lead exposure in early childhood on teenage cognitive performance.

Methods: Using data collected between 1978 and 2007, we analyzed B-Pb (median 30 μg/L; six-fold decrease over time) in 3176 Swedish children (age 7-12).

Population-based consultation patterns in patients with shoulder pain diagnoses.

Background: To assess the annual consultation prevalence and new onset consultation rate for doctor-diagnosed shoulder pain conditions.

Methods: We identified all residents in the southernmost county in Sweden who received a shoulder pain diagnosis during 2006 (ICD-10 code M75). In subjects who did not consult due to such disorders during 2004 and 2005, we estimated the new onset consultation rate.

Cancer incidence and mortality in Swedish sterilant workers exposed to ethylene oxide: updated cohort study findings 1972-2006.

Objectives: To assess whether cancer incidence, mainly from lymphohaematopoietic tumours and breast cancer, and mortality were increased in a cohort of Swedish sterilant workers exposed to low levels of ethylene oxide (EtO), updated with 16 more years of follow up.

Methods: The mortality and cancer incidence 1972-2006 experienced by a cohort of 2,171 male and female workers employed for at least one year in two plants producing medical equipment sterilised with EtO were investigated. Individual cumulative exposure to EtO was assessed by occupational hygienists.

Mortality and cancer incidence in cohorts of Swedish fishermen and fishermen's wives: updated findings.

Objectives: Intake of fish is an important source for many essential substances, such as n-3 PUFA. However, certain fish also contains relatively high levels of PCBs and dioxins. In Sweden, the concentrations of these compounds are higher in fatty fish caught at the east coast as compared to fish from the west coast.

Reproductive outcome in a cohort of male and female rubber workers: a registry study.

Purpose: To investigate whether blue-collar employment in the Swedish rubber industry from 1973 onwards had a negative impact on reproductive health.

Methods: Pairs of mother and child, and triads of father-mother-child were obtained through linkage of a cohort of 18,518 rubber factory employees with the Swedish Population Registry. Birth outcomes were obtained from the Medical Birth Register for 17,918 children.

Incidence of hand eczema in female Swedish hairdressers.

Objective: To estimate the occurrence of hand eczema in hairdressers in Sweden.

Methods: The occurrence of hand eczema was estimated in a Swedish longitudinal retrospective cohort study including all female graduates from vocational schools for hairdressers from 1970 to 1995. A stratified sample from the general population acted as controls.

Cancer incidence in 13811 patients skin tested for allergy.

Aim: Several studies have shown a negative correlation between cancer and atopy-related diseases. There are also a few reports of a positive relationship. We wanted to further evaluate these relationships in a prospective study.

Cancer incidence in the Swedish leather tanning industry: updated findings 1958-99.

Aims: To assess how a 10 year extension of the follow up period affected cancer incidence in the Swedish leather tanning cohort.

Methods: A cohort of 2027 tannery workers (of which 482 were women) who had been employed for at least one year between 1900 and 1989 at one of three Swedish leather tanneries, was established. The start of observation varied between 1958 and 1966 for the three plants.

Cancer incidence and mortality of isocyanate exposed workers from the Swedish polyurethane foam industry: updated findings 1959-98.

Aims: To assess whether cancer incidence and mortality in chronic obstructive lung diseases were increased in the Swedish polyurethane foam industry cohort, updated with 11 more years of follow up.

Methods: The mortality and cancer incidence (1959-98) experienced by a cohort of 4175 male and female employees employed for at least one year in the period 1959-87 at one of nine Swedish polyurethane foaming plants were investigated. Comparisons were based on calendar year, sex, and five-year age group specific mortality and incidence rates for Sweden.

Doubled mortality rate in irradiated patients reoperated for regrowth of a macroadenoma of the pituitary gland.

Background: Reduced life expectancy has been shown in patients with hypopituitarism, mainly caused by cardiovascular diseases. A major cause of hypopituitarism is pituitary adenomas, and radiotherapy may be employed as a treatment modality to reduce the post-operative regrowth rate of these tumours. Recently, we showed that in patients with craniopharyngiomas, tumour regrowth foreshadowed a fourfold risk increase for death.

Epidemiological evaluation of cytogenetic biomarkers as potential surrogate end-points for cancer.

Various occupational exposures have been monitored by chromosomal aberrations, sister chromatid exchanges and micronuclei in peripheral blood lymphocytes. During the last decade, epidemiological studies have evaluated whether any of these markers foreshadows cancer risk. Results from Nordic, Italian and Czech cohorts support an approximately twofold cancer risk among subjects with high frequencies of chromosomal aberrations, but no such association was seen for any of the other biomarkers.

The incidence of respiratory symptoms in female Swedish hairdressers.

Background: Airway diseases in hairdressers are a concern. The objective of this investigation is to evaluate the risk for three respiratory symptoms, wheeze, dry cough, and nasal blockage, in hairdressers.

Methods: A questionnaire on respiratory symptoms, atopy, smoking, and work history was answered by 3,957 female hairdressers and 4,905 women from the general population as referents.

Cytogenetic and morphologic subgroups of myelodysplastic syndromes in relation to occupational and hobby exposures.

Objectives: This study investigated the association between occupational and hobby exposure and the risk of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) while focusing on differential patterns of clonal chromosome aberrations and morphologic subgroups.

Methods: A case-referent study was conducted with 330 MDS patients investigated cytogenetically in 1976-1993 (cases) and matched referents. Telephone interviews with either the person or a next-of-kin were used.

Pooled analysis of clinical and cytogenetic features in treatment-related and de novo adult acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes based on a consecutive series of 761 patients analyzed 1976-1993 and on 5098 unselected cases reported in the literature 1974-2001.

To ascertain the frequency of treatment-related acute myeloid leukemias and myelodysplastic syndromes (t-AML/t-MDS) in an unselected series, we have identified all adult cases analyzed in our department from 1976 to 1993. Further aims were to compare karyotypic features of t-AML/t-MDS with de novo AML/MDS, in our material as well as in 5098 unselected, cyto- genetically abnormal, published cases, and to analyze associations between type of prior therapy and karyotype. Among our 372 AML and 389 MDS, 47 (13%) were t-AML and 62 (16%) were t-MDS.

Risk factors for cerebrovascular deaths in patients operated and irradiated for pituitary tumors.

Vascular mortality, especially cerebrovascular disease (CVD), are the most pronounced cause of mortality in women with hypopituitarism. In a cohort of 342 patients operated and irradiated for pituitary tumors, 31 died from CVD (CVD patients) between 1952 and 1996. The study assessed whether the radiation regimens and duration of symptoms of hypopituitarism before operation differed between the 31 CVD patients and the 62 matched patients from the same cohort who had not died from CVD (control patients).

Is there an increase in second brain tumours after surgery and irradiation for a pituitary tumour?

Objective: To assess the incidence of second brain tumours in patients operated and irradiated for pituitary tumours.

Design And Patients: The study base consisted of a consecutive series of 325 patients operated and irradiated for pituitary tumours, excluding patients with acromegaly and Cushing's disease. Comparison was made with the general population from the same catchment area as the patients.

Incidence of asthma in female Swedish hairdressers.

Objective: To investigate the risk of asthma in hairdressers.

Methods: The incidence of asthma was retrospectively estimated in a Swedish nationwide study including all female hairdressers certified from vocational schools from 1970 to 1995, and a stratified sample of women from the general population were referents. A postal questionnaire included questions on respiratory tract symptoms, atopy, smoking, working periods as a hairdresser, and number of specific hair treatments performed/week.

The usefulness of cytogenetic biomarkers as intermediate endpoints in carcinogenesis.

During the last decades, cytogenetic biomarkers in peripheral lymphocytes have been used to assess exposure to carcinogenic or mutagenic agents in occupational settings. The first method in use assessed chromosomal aberrations (CA). It is generally accepted that chromosomal mutations are causal events in the development of neoplasia, and it has earlier been postulated, but not proven, that increased chromosomal damage may reflect an enhanced cancer risk.

Are occupational, hobby, or lifestyle exposures associated with Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myeloid leukaemia?

Objectives: To investigate a broad range of occupational, hobby, and lifestyle exposures, suggested as risk factors for Philadelphia chromosome positive (Ph+) chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML).

Methods: A case-control study, comprising 255 Ph+CML patients from southern Sweden and matched controls, was conducted. Individual data on work tasks, hobbies, and lifestyle exposures were obtained by telephone interviews.

The prognostic impact of karyotypic subgroups in myelodysplastic syndromes is strongly modified by sex.

The prognostic impact of karyotypic patterns in a consecutive series of 389 adult myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) was investigated. Time period did not significantly influence the survival times. In the analyses, the MDS cases were subdivided into the cytogenetic subgroups used in the International Prognostic Scoring System, i.

Acute myeloid leukemia and clonal chromosome aberrations in relation to past exposure to organic solvents.

Objectives: The effects of occupational and leisure-time exposures on the risk of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) were investigated with emphasis on clonal chromosome aberrations (CCA) and morphological subtypes.

Methods: Consecutively diagnosed cases of AML (N=333) and 1 population referent per case were retrospectively included in the study. Information on worktasks, companies, and leisure-time activities was obtained with telephone interviews.

Incidence of a second tumor in hypopituitary patients operated for pituitary tumors.

Recently, an association between increased blood levels of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and increased risks of prostate, breast, lung, and colorectal cancers has been suggested. As today adults with GH deficiency are subjected to GH substitution, there is a pressing need for baseline tumor incidence data. The aim of the study was to assess the risk for a second tumor in a cohort of 328 patients with hypopituitarism treated for a pituitary tumor from 1958--1992.

Survival time in a population-based consecutive series of adult acute myeloid leukemia--the prognostic impact of karyotype during the time period 1976-1993.

A consecutive population-based series of 372 adult acute myeloid leukemias, successfully cytogenetically investigated at a single center between 1976 and 1993, is reported. All medical records were reviewed in order to ascertain the prognostic impact of karyotype, divided into three groups; favorable (t(8;21), t(15;17), and inv(16) irrespective of karyotypic complexity; n = 40), poor (der(1;7), inv(3), -5, del(5q), -7, t(9;22), and complex karyotypes including whole or partial losses of chromosomes 5 and/or 7; n = 56), and intermediate (other abnormalities or normal karyotype; n = 276). The possible modification by age, gender, time period, morphologic subtype, and bone marrow transplantation (BMT) on this prognostic impact was also determined.

Cancer incidence in a cohort of Swedish sewage workers: extended follow up.

Objectives: To study the cancer incidence in a cohort of Swedish sewage workers. An increased incidence of cancer of the stomach, the kidney and the nervous system in this cohort was previously reported. This new analysis reports on 9 more years of follow up.

A single-center population-based consecutive series of 1500 cytogenetically investigated adult hematological malignancies: karyotypic features in relation to morphology, age and gender.

During the 18-yr period 1976-93, a population-based series of 1586 adults with suspected or confirmed hematological malignancies were successfully cytogenetically investigated at a single center. Eighty-six cases were excluded due to unretrievable medical records or if analyzed only in remission or at relapse. The remaining 1500 medical records were reviewed regarding morphology and clinical parameters in order to investigate possible associations between karyotypic pattern (normal, 1, 2 or complex anomalies; specific abnormalities) and gender, age and morphological subgroups.