RESEARCH - Systemic autoimmune disease mortality and occupational exposures

[Guest guest]

Arthritis Rheum. 2007 Oct;56(10):3189-201.

Systemic autoimmune disease mortality and occupational exposures.

Gold LS, Ward MH, Dosemeci M, De Roos AJ.

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109-1024, USA.

OBJECTIVE: To generate hypotheses regarding occupational exposures that may

cause systemic autoimmune diseases. METHODS: Based on examination of US

death certificates, we identified deaths in 26 states for which a cause was

listed as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (n = 36,178), systemic lupus

erythematosus (SLE) (n = 7,241), systemic sclerosis (n = 5,642), or other

systemic autoimmune disease (n = 4,270). Odds ratios (ORs) and 95%

confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated to estimate associations

between occupation and death from any systemic autoimmune disease, and from

RA, SLE, and systemic sclerosis, specifically. Additionally, we estimated

risks associated with occupational exposures, which were assigned using

job-exposure matrices. RESULTS: A broad array of occupations was associated

with death from systemic autoimmune diseases, including several of a priori

interest. Farming occupation was associated with death from any systemic

autoimmune disease (OR 1.3 [95% CI 1.2-1.4]), and increased risk was also

seen with occupational exposure to animals and pesticides. Several

industrial occupations were associated with death from any systemic

autoimmune disease, including mining machine operators (OR 1.3 [95% CI

1.1-1.5]), miscellaneous textile machine operators (OR 1.2 [95% CI

1.0-1.4]), and hand painting, coating, and decorating occupations (OR 1.8

[95% CI 1.0-2.9]). These occupations were also significantly associated with

death from the specific autoimmune diseases examined. Certain occupations

entailing exposure to the public, such as teachers, were associated with

systemic autoimmune disease-related death, whereas others, such as waiters

and waitresses, were not. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that death from

systemic autoimmune diseases may be associated with occupational exposures

encountered in farming and industry. The hypotheses generated in this study

provide leads for future research on determinants of these diseases.

PMID: 17907164

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve & db=PubMed & list_uids=17

907164

Not an MD