Susanna Lagorio - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Susanna Lagorio
PubMed, Jul 22, 1998
A review of epidemiologic evidence concerning the association between childhood leukaemia and exp... more A review of epidemiologic evidence concerning the association between childhood leukaemia and exposure to 50 Hz electric and magnetic fields is presented, with special reference to fourteen studies published between 1979 and 1997 that utilised different systems of exposure assessment. While spot measurements of indoor magnetic fields were not associated with childhood leukaemia, combined relative risks from studies using 24 hour measurements range from 1.3 to 1.6 with lower confidence limits > or = 1.0. Thus, epidemiologic studies support an association between exposure to 50 Hz magnetic fields and childhood leukaemia. However, the causal nature of the association does not appear conclusively demonstrated because of limitations in study design and lack of a plausible biologic mechanism. In this framework, it seems justified to recommend the adoption of preventive measures aimed at reducing exposure to magnetic fields in dwellings, particularly in those featuring relatively high exposure levels.
PubMed, Mar 1, 2000
Background: Increased cancer risk among flight personnel have previously been noted, including br... more Background: Increased cancer risk among flight personnel have previously been noted, including breast cancer among flight attendants and acute myeloid leukemia among pilots. Hypothesis: Exposure to cosmic radiation and other physical or chemical agents may pose health risks for flight personnel. Methods: We performed an exhaustive search for published and unpublished cohort studies of flight personnel from 1986-98. We combined relative risks (RR) for selected causes from four mortality and/or incidence studies of pilots and two incidence studies of flight attendants, using standard meta-analytic methods. Heterogeneity among the combined studies was explored and adjustments were made for possible confounding by socioeconomic status (SES), where indicated, using correction factors from published studies. Results: SES-adjusted combined RRs were elevated (>1.2) among male pilots for mortality from melanoma 11.97 (95%, CI: 1.02-3.82)] and brain cancer [1.49 (0.89-2.20)], and for cancer incidence of the prostate [1.65 (1.19-2.29)] and the brain [1.74 (0.87-3.30)]. Among female flight attendants, increases were seen for incidence of all cancers [1.29 (0.98-1.70)], melanoma [11.54 (0.83-2.87)], and breast cancer [1.35 (1.00-1.83)]. Conclusions: Flight personnel appear to be at increased risk for several types of cancer. Both occupational exposures and well-established non-occupational risk factors may contribute to this increased risk. To better control for confounding factors and to identify exposures potentially amenable to preventive measures, future studies should compare risks within cohorts by flight routes, work history, and exposure to cosmic and UV radiation, electromagnetic fields, and chemical substances.
Epidemiologia e prevenzione
PubMed, Sep 1, 1994
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies gasoline vapours and exhaust fu... more The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies gasoline vapours and exhaust fumes from gasoline fueled automobiles as potential human carcinogens. Data on the chemical composition of gasoline marketed in Italy and especially on the concentration of benzene, are rather poor. Within the framework of an investigation aimed at assessing the mean annual level of exposure to aromatic hydrocarbons among gasoline pump attendants, made on a sample of attendants in Rome between December 1991 and November 1992, samples of gasoline were also collected so as to determine the benzene content of the gasoline over the investigation period, assess the variability of benzene concentration in the various gasolines and according to the season of the year, and take account of gasoline composition in analysing the factors determining individual exposure levels of pump attendants. Benzene exposure was measured via gas chromatography of air samples obtained with personal pumps in the breathing zone. The mean benzene exposure level (8 h TWA) of the 27 subjects under study was 1.73 mg/m3 (SD = 5.53). The benzene concentration in the samples of gasoline, which were collected on the same day as personal exposure monitoring was performed, was measured by means of high resolution gas chromatography (hr-GC). Mean benzene levels of 25.03 g/l (SD = 3.47), equivalent to 2.86% by volume, were measured in 24 samples of alkylated gasoline, and mean levels of 23.18 g/l (SD = 3.93), equivalent to 2.65% v/v, were measured in 10 samples of lead-free gasoline. Statistically significant associations were found between individual exposure to benzene and the quantity of gasoline pumped (r = 0.69) and the quantity of benzene present in the gasoline sold on the day monitoring was performed (r = 0.70). Using regression analysis, the estimated increase in the level of personal benzene exposure was 0.01 mg/m3 for every increase of 100 g in the benzene content of the total amount of gasoline sold. This estimation could be used to quantify the expected reduction in benzene exposure levels in service station attendants following a reduction in the benzene content of gasoline.
PubMed, 2000
This paper describes the epidemiological evidence on lung cancer and childhood leukemia in relati... more This paper describes the epidemiological evidence on lung cancer and childhood leukemia in relation to traffic-related air pollution, with particular reference to diesel exhausts, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and benzene. Recent epidemiological studies strengthen the hypothesis of an increased lung cancer risk related to residential exposure to air pollution and to occupational exposure to diesel exhausts. The evidence on the carcinogenicity of several PAH mixtures comes from occupational studies, while the risk incurred by the general population is difficult to estimate. A few papers suggest that traffic-related air pollution may be associated with an increased risk of childhood leukemia. The observed relative risks are small but the exposure is widespread. Therefore, the overall impact of exposure to current levels of urban air pollution may be substantial.
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, Aug 1, 2011
Methods We searched the Pubmed database for prospective cohort and nested case-control studies of... more Methods We searched the Pubmed database for prospective cohort and nested case-control studies of whole grain intake and risk of incident colorectal cancer, up to December 2010. Summary RRs were calculated using a random effects model. Results Seven cohort studies reported results for total whole grain intake and colorectal cancer risk. The summary RR for high vs low intake of whole grain was 0.79 (95% CI 0.72 to 0.86), with no significant heterogeneity, I 2 ¼0%. The summary RR for a 3 servings per day increment was 0.81 (95% CI 0.75 to 0.88), with little heterogeneity, I 2 ¼15%. A similar reduction in risk was also found for colon cancer (summary RR¼0.81, 95% CI 0.70 to 0.95, I 2 ¼0%), but the result for rectal cancer was not statistically significant and there was substantial heterogeneity (summary RR¼0.75, 95% CI 0.53 to 1.08, I 2 ¼87%). Conclusion Our results support the hypothesis that whole grain consumption protects against colorectal cancer.
![Research paper thumbnail of Mobile phone use and location of glioma: a case-case analysis [abstract]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/112213174/thumbnails/1.jpg)
](We assessed a new approach for evaluating the glioma risk among users of mobile phones to focus o... more We assessed a new approach for evaluating the glioma risk among users of mobile phones to focus on the part of the brain most heavily exposed to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields from mobile phones. The tumor midpoint was defined from radiological imaging. A case-case analysis with 99 gliomas was performed using logistic regression. The exposed cases were those with the tumor mid-point within 4.6 cm from the line between the mouth and the external meatus of the ear, representing the most likely location of the mobile phone (the source of exposure). Alternative analyses based on various indicators of mobile phone use as the outcome were also carried out. The majority of cases were regular mobile phone users. A slightly higher proportion of gliomas among mobile phone users than non-users occurred within 4.6 cm from the presumed location of the mobile phone (28% vs. 14%). Modestly elevated odds ratios were observed for several indicators of mobile phone use, but without an exposure gradient. The highest odds ratios were found for contralateral and short-term use. Our results, though limited by the small sample size, demonstrate that detailed information on tumor location allows evaluation of the risk related to the most heavily exposed part of the brain, representing direct evaluation of the possible local carcinogenic effects of the radiofrequency fields. However, field strength varies between users and over time also within a given anatomic site, due to the output power of the phone. Collaborative analysis of a larger sample is planned. Bioelectromagnetics 30:176-182, 2009.
epidemiological methods, and description of the study population
epidemiological methods, and description of the study population
A historical cohort of service station attendants is underway. It is aimed at evaluating possible... more A historical cohort of service station attendants is underway. It is aimed at evaluating possible excess cancer risk in rela-tion to exposure intensity. In this paper we discuss the feasibility of a retrospective exposure assessment by evaluating the association between indicators of workload and the exposure intensity to some aromatic hydrocarbons measured in a sample of current employees. Available for the analysis were 703 personal samples from 111 filling station workers. Measured concentrations of benzene, toluene and xylenes (8-hour time weighted averages) averaged 0.55 mq/rn-', 0.71 mg/m3 and 0.32 rnq/rn ', respectively. The number of vehicles filled, the daily sales of super premium gasoline and motorbike fuel, and the winter season were all significant predictors of the log concentration of benzene in simple regression analyses. The size of the station acted as an effect modifier. While no single variable was able to predict the benzene level in large stations, fo...
Epidemiologia e prevenzione, 1995
Exposure to gasoline vapors is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as p... more Exposure to gasoline vapors is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as possibly carcinogenic to humans, mainly on the basis of the established carcinogenicity of some component chemicals such as benzene. The mechanism of benzene toxicity, particularly its leukemogenic effects, is far from being fully understood. Different studies, aimed at evaluating the risk associated with exposure to benzene through fuels and coordinated by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, are in progress in Italy. In an environmental monitoring survey on a sample of 111 service stations, conducted in Rome (Italy) in 1992, average yearly personal exposure to benzene, toluene and xylenes were estimated. Chemical determination of benzene and methylbenzene was carried out by GL-gas chromatography. From a sample of 27 service stations 34 fuel samples were collected, and their benzene content was measured by hr-gas chromatography. Subgroups of the filling station attendants undergoing the exp...
Mutation Research/Fundamental and Molecular Mechanisms of Mutagenesis, 1995
Workers in the petroleum distribution trades experience relatively high-level exposures to fuel v... more Workers in the petroleum distribution trades experience relatively high-level exposures to fuel vapours whose consequences have not been fully elucidated. In this study, the possible relationship between occupational exposure to petroleum fuels and cytogenetic damages in peripheral lymphocytes was investigated. Twenty-three male. non-smoking workers from the area of Rome were enrolled in the study. together with age-paired controls with no occupational exposure to fuels. Peripheral lymphocyte cultures were set up for the analysis of structural chromosome aberrations (CAs). sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) and micronuclei (MN) in cytokinesis-blocked lymphocytes. Frequencies of CAs, SCEs and MN were compared between exposed and control groups, and evaluated in relation to blood lead level (as an indicator of engine exhausts exposure) for the whole group under study, and to yearly averaged exposure to benzene (8-h time weighted averages. as determined by repeated personal sampling) for fillingstation attendants only. Both CAs and SCEs were slightly increased in station attendants: I .97 versus I .46 aberrations per 100 cells, and 4.73 i 0. IS versus 4.48 f 0. I I SCEs/cell in exposed and control individuals, respectively. The difference between cumulative CA rates in the exposed and control populations was of borderline statistical significance (p = 0.066). However, when the exposed population was dichotomized for benzene exposure, a significant (p = 0.018) correlation of CAs with benzene exposure was found. The analysis of SCE data highlighted a significant increase of cells with more than 6 exchanges (HFCS), corresponding to the 75" percentile of the overall distribution, in fillingstation attendants (relative risk (RR) = I .3. 95% CI = I. l-l .5) in comparison with controls. In the pooled population, the frequency of HFCs showed a statistically significant upward trend at increasing blood lead levels (x2 for trend = 27.8, p < O.OOOl). A complex relationship between SCEs and benzene exposure was observed, with an increased frequency of HFCs in the medium exposure intensity class (RR = 1.5. 95% CI = 1.2-1.7). and no difference for exposure to higher benzene levels (RR = 1.0. 95% CI = 0.9-I.%, compared to reference subjects. Finally. the analysis of MN in both phytohemagglutinin-and pokeweed-stimulated cell cultures did not show significant excess of MN in binucleated lymphocytes of exposed workers with respect to the age-paired controls.
International Journal of Epidemiology, 1993
A historical cohort of service station attendants is underway. It is aimed at evaluating possible... more A historical cohort of service station attendants is underway. It is aimed at evaluating possible excess cancer risk in relation to exposure intensity. In this paper we discuss the feasibility of a retrospective exposure assessment by evaluating the association between indicators of workload and the exposure intensity to some aromatic hydrocarbons measured in a sample of current employees. Available for the analysis were 703 personal samples from 111 filling station workers. Measured concentrations of benzene, toluene and xylenes (8-hour time weighted averages) averaged 0.55 mg/m3, 0.71 mg/m3 and 0.32 mg/m3, respectively. The number of vehicles filled, the daily sales of super premium gasoline and motorbike fuel, and the winter season were all significant predictors of the log concentration of benzene in simple regression analyses. The size of the station acted as an effect modifier. While no single variable was able to predict the benzene level in large stations, for small stations an increase of 0.0579 and of 0.0418 in the log benzene concentration per unit increase in super premium gasoline (100 I) and in motorbike fuel (10 I) dispensed, was estimated. The overall variance explained by the multivariate model, however, was only 12.3%. Therefore, a clear categorization of groups with homogeneous and significantly different exposure levels is not achievable. From the point of view of exposure assessment, workers in small stations with higher sales of super premium gasoline tend to have higher exposure levels. This group should be examined in detail when the final results of the cohort study are available.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
The evolution of emerging technologies that use Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Field (RF-EMF) ha... more The evolution of emerging technologies that use Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Field (RF-EMF) has increased the interest of the scientific community and society regarding the possible adverse effects on human health and the environment. This article provides NextGEM’s vision to assure safety for EU citizens when employing existing and future EMF-based telecommunication technologies. This is accomplished by generating relevant knowledge that ascertains appropriate prevention and control/actuation actions regarding RF-EMF exposure in residential, public, and occupational settings. Fulfilling this vision, NextGEM commits to the need for a healthy living and working environment under safe RF-EMF exposure conditions that can be trusted by people and be in line with the regulations and laws developed by public authorities. NextGEM provides a framework for generating health-relevant scientific knowledge and data on new scenarios of exposure to RF-EMF in multiple frequency bands and develo...
Abstract: We report on an Italian case-control study on childhood leukemia and exposure to extrem... more Abstract: We report on an Italian case-control study on childhood leukemia and exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MF). Eligible for inclusion were 745 leukemia cases, aged 0–10 years at diagnosis in 1998–2001, and 1475 sex- and age-matched population controls. Parents of 683 cases and 1044 controls (92 % vs. 71%) were interviewed. ELF-MF measurements (24–48 h), in the child’s bedroom of the dwelling inhabited one year before diagnosis, were available for 412 cases and 587 controls included in the main conditional regression analyses. The magnetic field induction was 0.04 μT on average (geometric mean), with 0.6 % of cases and 1.6 % of controls exposed to>0.3 μT. The impact of changes in the statistical model, exposure metric, and data-set restriction criteria was explored via sensitivity analyses. No exposure-disease association was observed in analyses based on continuous exposure, while analyses based on categorical variables were characterized by incohere...
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
The evolution of emerging technologies that use Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Field (RF-EMF) ha... more The evolution of emerging technologies that use Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Field (RF-EMF) has increased the interest of the scientific community and society regarding the possible adverse effects on human health and the environment. This article provides NextGEM’s vision to assure safety for EU citizens when employing existing and future EMF-based telecommunication technologies. This is accomplished by generating relevant knowledge that ascertains appropriate prevention and control/actuation actions regarding RF-EMF exposure in residential, public, and occupational settings. Fulfilling this vision, NextGEM commits to the need for a healthy living and working environment under safe RF-EMF exposure conditions that can be trusted by people and be in line with the regulations and laws developed by public authorities. NextGEM provides a framework for generating health-relevant scientific knowledge and data on new scenarios of exposure to RF-EMF in multiple frequency bands and develo...
Bioelectromagnetics, 2009
We assessed a new approach for evaluating the glioma risk among users of mobile phones to focus o... more We assessed a new approach for evaluating the glioma risk among users of mobile phones to focus on the part of the brain most heavily exposed to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields from mobile phones. The tumor midpoint was defined from radiological imaging. A case-case analysis with 99 gliomas was performed using logistic regression. The exposed cases were those with the tumor mid-point within 4.6 cm from the line between the mouth and the external meatus of the ear, representing the most likely location of the mobile phone (the source of exposure). Alternative analyses based on various indicators of mobile phone use as the outcome were also carried out. The majority of cases were regular mobile phone users. A slightly higher proportion of gliomas among mobile phone users than non-users occurred within 4.6 cm from the presumed location of the mobile phone (28% vs. 14%). Modestly elevated odds ratios were observed for several indicators of mobile phone use, but without an exposure gradient. The highest odds ratios were found for contralateral and short-term use. Our results, though limited by the small sample size, demonstrate that detailed information on tumor location allows evaluation of the risk related to the most heavily exposed part of the brain, representing direct evaluation of the possible local carcinogenic effects of the radiofrequency fields. However, field strength varies between users and over time also within a given anatomic site, due to the output power of the phone. Collaborative analysis of a larger sample is planned. Bioelectromagnetics 30:176-182, 2009.
PubMed, Jul 22, 1998
A review of epidemiologic evidence concerning the association between childhood leukaemia and exp... more A review of epidemiologic evidence concerning the association between childhood leukaemia and exposure to 50 Hz electric and magnetic fields is presented, with special reference to fourteen studies published between 1979 and 1997 that utilised different systems of exposure assessment. While spot measurements of indoor magnetic fields were not associated with childhood leukaemia, combined relative risks from studies using 24 hour measurements range from 1.3 to 1.6 with lower confidence limits > or = 1.0. Thus, epidemiologic studies support an association between exposure to 50 Hz magnetic fields and childhood leukaemia. However, the causal nature of the association does not appear conclusively demonstrated because of limitations in study design and lack of a plausible biologic mechanism. In this framework, it seems justified to recommend the adoption of preventive measures aimed at reducing exposure to magnetic fields in dwellings, particularly in those featuring relatively high exposure levels.
PubMed, Mar 1, 2000
Background: Increased cancer risk among flight personnel have previously been noted, including br... more Background: Increased cancer risk among flight personnel have previously been noted, including breast cancer among flight attendants and acute myeloid leukemia among pilots. Hypothesis: Exposure to cosmic radiation and other physical or chemical agents may pose health risks for flight personnel. Methods: We performed an exhaustive search for published and unpublished cohort studies of flight personnel from 1986-98. We combined relative risks (RR) for selected causes from four mortality and/or incidence studies of pilots and two incidence studies of flight attendants, using standard meta-analytic methods. Heterogeneity among the combined studies was explored and adjustments were made for possible confounding by socioeconomic status (SES), where indicated, using correction factors from published studies. Results: SES-adjusted combined RRs were elevated (>1.2) among male pilots for mortality from melanoma 11.97 (95%, CI: 1.02-3.82)] and brain cancer [1.49 (0.89-2.20)], and for cancer incidence of the prostate [1.65 (1.19-2.29)] and the brain [1.74 (0.87-3.30)]. Among female flight attendants, increases were seen for incidence of all cancers [1.29 (0.98-1.70)], melanoma [11.54 (0.83-2.87)], and breast cancer [1.35 (1.00-1.83)]. Conclusions: Flight personnel appear to be at increased risk for several types of cancer. Both occupational exposures and well-established non-occupational risk factors may contribute to this increased risk. To better control for confounding factors and to identify exposures potentially amenable to preventive measures, future studies should compare risks within cohorts by flight routes, work history, and exposure to cosmic and UV radiation, electromagnetic fields, and chemical substances.
Epidemiologia e prevenzione
PubMed, Sep 1, 1994
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies gasoline vapours and exhaust fu... more The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies gasoline vapours and exhaust fumes from gasoline fueled automobiles as potential human carcinogens. Data on the chemical composition of gasoline marketed in Italy and especially on the concentration of benzene, are rather poor. Within the framework of an investigation aimed at assessing the mean annual level of exposure to aromatic hydrocarbons among gasoline pump attendants, made on a sample of attendants in Rome between December 1991 and November 1992, samples of gasoline were also collected so as to determine the benzene content of the gasoline over the investigation period, assess the variability of benzene concentration in the various gasolines and according to the season of the year, and take account of gasoline composition in analysing the factors determining individual exposure levels of pump attendants. Benzene exposure was measured via gas chromatography of air samples obtained with personal pumps in the breathing zone. The mean benzene exposure level (8 h TWA) of the 27 subjects under study was 1.73 mg/m3 (SD = 5.53). The benzene concentration in the samples of gasoline, which were collected on the same day as personal exposure monitoring was performed, was measured by means of high resolution gas chromatography (hr-GC). Mean benzene levels of 25.03 g/l (SD = 3.47), equivalent to 2.86% by volume, were measured in 24 samples of alkylated gasoline, and mean levels of 23.18 g/l (SD = 3.93), equivalent to 2.65% v/v, were measured in 10 samples of lead-free gasoline. Statistically significant associations were found between individual exposure to benzene and the quantity of gasoline pumped (r = 0.69) and the quantity of benzene present in the gasoline sold on the day monitoring was performed (r = 0.70). Using regression analysis, the estimated increase in the level of personal benzene exposure was 0.01 mg/m3 for every increase of 100 g in the benzene content of the total amount of gasoline sold. This estimation could be used to quantify the expected reduction in benzene exposure levels in service station attendants following a reduction in the benzene content of gasoline.
PubMed, 2000
This paper describes the epidemiological evidence on lung cancer and childhood leukemia in relati... more This paper describes the epidemiological evidence on lung cancer and childhood leukemia in relation to traffic-related air pollution, with particular reference to diesel exhausts, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and benzene. Recent epidemiological studies strengthen the hypothesis of an increased lung cancer risk related to residential exposure to air pollution and to occupational exposure to diesel exhausts. The evidence on the carcinogenicity of several PAH mixtures comes from occupational studies, while the risk incurred by the general population is difficult to estimate. A few papers suggest that traffic-related air pollution may be associated with an increased risk of childhood leukemia. The observed relative risks are small but the exposure is widespread. Therefore, the overall impact of exposure to current levels of urban air pollution may be substantial.
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, Aug 1, 2011
Methods We searched the Pubmed database for prospective cohort and nested case-control studies of... more Methods We searched the Pubmed database for prospective cohort and nested case-control studies of whole grain intake and risk of incident colorectal cancer, up to December 2010. Summary RRs were calculated using a random effects model. Results Seven cohort studies reported results for total whole grain intake and colorectal cancer risk. The summary RR for high vs low intake of whole grain was 0.79 (95% CI 0.72 to 0.86), with no significant heterogeneity, I 2 ¼0%. The summary RR for a 3 servings per day increment was 0.81 (95% CI 0.75 to 0.88), with little heterogeneity, I 2 ¼15%. A similar reduction in risk was also found for colon cancer (summary RR¼0.81, 95% CI 0.70 to 0.95, I 2 ¼0%), but the result for rectal cancer was not statistically significant and there was substantial heterogeneity (summary RR¼0.75, 95% CI 0.53 to 1.08, I 2 ¼87%). Conclusion Our results support the hypothesis that whole grain consumption protects against colorectal cancer.
We assessed a new approach for evaluating the glioma risk among users of mobile phones to focus o... more We assessed a new approach for evaluating the glioma risk among users of mobile phones to focus on the part of the brain most heavily exposed to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields from mobile phones. The tumor midpoint was defined from radiological imaging. A case-case analysis with 99 gliomas was performed using logistic regression. The exposed cases were those with the tumor mid-point within 4.6 cm from the line between the mouth and the external meatus of the ear, representing the most likely location of the mobile phone (the source of exposure). Alternative analyses based on various indicators of mobile phone use as the outcome were also carried out. The majority of cases were regular mobile phone users. A slightly higher proportion of gliomas among mobile phone users than non-users occurred within 4.6 cm from the presumed location of the mobile phone (28% vs. 14%). Modestly elevated odds ratios were observed for several indicators of mobile phone use, but without an exposure gradient. The highest odds ratios were found for contralateral and short-term use. Our results, though limited by the small sample size, demonstrate that detailed information on tumor location allows evaluation of the risk related to the most heavily exposed part of the brain, representing direct evaluation of the possible local carcinogenic effects of the radiofrequency fields. However, field strength varies between users and over time also within a given anatomic site, due to the output power of the phone. Collaborative analysis of a larger sample is planned. Bioelectromagnetics 30:176-182, 2009.
epidemiological methods, and description of the study population
epidemiological methods, and description of the study population
A historical cohort of service station attendants is underway. It is aimed at evaluating possible... more A historical cohort of service station attendants is underway. It is aimed at evaluating possible excess cancer risk in rela-tion to exposure intensity. In this paper we discuss the feasibility of a retrospective exposure assessment by evaluating the association between indicators of workload and the exposure intensity to some aromatic hydrocarbons measured in a sample of current employees. Available for the analysis were 703 personal samples from 111 filling station workers. Measured concentrations of benzene, toluene and xylenes (8-hour time weighted averages) averaged 0.55 mq/rn-', 0.71 mg/m3 and 0.32 rnq/rn ', respectively. The number of vehicles filled, the daily sales of super premium gasoline and motorbike fuel, and the winter season were all significant predictors of the log concentration of benzene in simple regression analyses. The size of the station acted as an effect modifier. While no single variable was able to predict the benzene level in large stations, fo...
Epidemiologia e prevenzione, 1995
Exposure to gasoline vapors is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as p... more Exposure to gasoline vapors is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as possibly carcinogenic to humans, mainly on the basis of the established carcinogenicity of some component chemicals such as benzene. The mechanism of benzene toxicity, particularly its leukemogenic effects, is far from being fully understood. Different studies, aimed at evaluating the risk associated with exposure to benzene through fuels and coordinated by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, are in progress in Italy. In an environmental monitoring survey on a sample of 111 service stations, conducted in Rome (Italy) in 1992, average yearly personal exposure to benzene, toluene and xylenes were estimated. Chemical determination of benzene and methylbenzene was carried out by GL-gas chromatography. From a sample of 27 service stations 34 fuel samples were collected, and their benzene content was measured by hr-gas chromatography. Subgroups of the filling station attendants undergoing the exp...
Mutation Research/Fundamental and Molecular Mechanisms of Mutagenesis, 1995
Workers in the petroleum distribution trades experience relatively high-level exposures to fuel v... more Workers in the petroleum distribution trades experience relatively high-level exposures to fuel vapours whose consequences have not been fully elucidated. In this study, the possible relationship between occupational exposure to petroleum fuels and cytogenetic damages in peripheral lymphocytes was investigated. Twenty-three male. non-smoking workers from the area of Rome were enrolled in the study. together with age-paired controls with no occupational exposure to fuels. Peripheral lymphocyte cultures were set up for the analysis of structural chromosome aberrations (CAs). sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) and micronuclei (MN) in cytokinesis-blocked lymphocytes. Frequencies of CAs, SCEs and MN were compared between exposed and control groups, and evaluated in relation to blood lead level (as an indicator of engine exhausts exposure) for the whole group under study, and to yearly averaged exposure to benzene (8-h time weighted averages. as determined by repeated personal sampling) for fillingstation attendants only. Both CAs and SCEs were slightly increased in station attendants: I .97 versus I .46 aberrations per 100 cells, and 4.73 i 0. IS versus 4.48 f 0. I I SCEs/cell in exposed and control individuals, respectively. The difference between cumulative CA rates in the exposed and control populations was of borderline statistical significance (p = 0.066). However, when the exposed population was dichotomized for benzene exposure, a significant (p = 0.018) correlation of CAs with benzene exposure was found. The analysis of SCE data highlighted a significant increase of cells with more than 6 exchanges (HFCS), corresponding to the 75" percentile of the overall distribution, in fillingstation attendants (relative risk (RR) = I .3. 95% CI = I. l-l .5) in comparison with controls. In the pooled population, the frequency of HFCs showed a statistically significant upward trend at increasing blood lead levels (x2 for trend = 27.8, p < O.OOOl). A complex relationship between SCEs and benzene exposure was observed, with an increased frequency of HFCs in the medium exposure intensity class (RR = 1.5. 95% CI = 1.2-1.7). and no difference for exposure to higher benzene levels (RR = 1.0. 95% CI = 0.9-I.%, compared to reference subjects. Finally. the analysis of MN in both phytohemagglutinin-and pokeweed-stimulated cell cultures did not show significant excess of MN in binucleated lymphocytes of exposed workers with respect to the age-paired controls.
International Journal of Epidemiology, 1993
A historical cohort of service station attendants is underway. It is aimed at evaluating possible... more A historical cohort of service station attendants is underway. It is aimed at evaluating possible excess cancer risk in relation to exposure intensity. In this paper we discuss the feasibility of a retrospective exposure assessment by evaluating the association between indicators of workload and the exposure intensity to some aromatic hydrocarbons measured in a sample of current employees. Available for the analysis were 703 personal samples from 111 filling station workers. Measured concentrations of benzene, toluene and xylenes (8-hour time weighted averages) averaged 0.55 mg/m3, 0.71 mg/m3 and 0.32 mg/m3, respectively. The number of vehicles filled, the daily sales of super premium gasoline and motorbike fuel, and the winter season were all significant predictors of the log concentration of benzene in simple regression analyses. The size of the station acted as an effect modifier. While no single variable was able to predict the benzene level in large stations, for small stations an increase of 0.0579 and of 0.0418 in the log benzene concentration per unit increase in super premium gasoline (100 I) and in motorbike fuel (10 I) dispensed, was estimated. The overall variance explained by the multivariate model, however, was only 12.3%. Therefore, a clear categorization of groups with homogeneous and significantly different exposure levels is not achievable. From the point of view of exposure assessment, workers in small stations with higher sales of super premium gasoline tend to have higher exposure levels. This group should be examined in detail when the final results of the cohort study are available.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
The evolution of emerging technologies that use Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Field (RF-EMF) ha... more The evolution of emerging technologies that use Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Field (RF-EMF) has increased the interest of the scientific community and society regarding the possible adverse effects on human health and the environment. This article provides NextGEM’s vision to assure safety for EU citizens when employing existing and future EMF-based telecommunication technologies. This is accomplished by generating relevant knowledge that ascertains appropriate prevention and control/actuation actions regarding RF-EMF exposure in residential, public, and occupational settings. Fulfilling this vision, NextGEM commits to the need for a healthy living and working environment under safe RF-EMF exposure conditions that can be trusted by people and be in line with the regulations and laws developed by public authorities. NextGEM provides a framework for generating health-relevant scientific knowledge and data on new scenarios of exposure to RF-EMF in multiple frequency bands and develo...
Abstract: We report on an Italian case-control study on childhood leukemia and exposure to extrem... more Abstract: We report on an Italian case-control study on childhood leukemia and exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MF). Eligible for inclusion were 745 leukemia cases, aged 0–10 years at diagnosis in 1998–2001, and 1475 sex- and age-matched population controls. Parents of 683 cases and 1044 controls (92 % vs. 71%) were interviewed. ELF-MF measurements (24–48 h), in the child’s bedroom of the dwelling inhabited one year before diagnosis, were available for 412 cases and 587 controls included in the main conditional regression analyses. The magnetic field induction was 0.04 μT on average (geometric mean), with 0.6 % of cases and 1.6 % of controls exposed to>0.3 μT. The impact of changes in the statistical model, exposure metric, and data-set restriction criteria was explored via sensitivity analyses. No exposure-disease association was observed in analyses based on continuous exposure, while analyses based on categorical variables were characterized by incohere...
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
The evolution of emerging technologies that use Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Field (RF-EMF) ha... more The evolution of emerging technologies that use Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Field (RF-EMF) has increased the interest of the scientific community and society regarding the possible adverse effects on human health and the environment. This article provides NextGEM’s vision to assure safety for EU citizens when employing existing and future EMF-based telecommunication technologies. This is accomplished by generating relevant knowledge that ascertains appropriate prevention and control/actuation actions regarding RF-EMF exposure in residential, public, and occupational settings. Fulfilling this vision, NextGEM commits to the need for a healthy living and working environment under safe RF-EMF exposure conditions that can be trusted by people and be in line with the regulations and laws developed by public authorities. NextGEM provides a framework for generating health-relevant scientific knowledge and data on new scenarios of exposure to RF-EMF in multiple frequency bands and develo...
Bioelectromagnetics, 2009
We assessed a new approach for evaluating the glioma risk among users of mobile phones to focus o... more We assessed a new approach for evaluating the glioma risk among users of mobile phones to focus on the part of the brain most heavily exposed to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields from mobile phones. The tumor midpoint was defined from radiological imaging. A case-case analysis with 99 gliomas was performed using logistic regression. The exposed cases were those with the tumor mid-point within 4.6 cm from the line between the mouth and the external meatus of the ear, representing the most likely location of the mobile phone (the source of exposure). Alternative analyses based on various indicators of mobile phone use as the outcome were also carried out. The majority of cases were regular mobile phone users. A slightly higher proportion of gliomas among mobile phone users than non-users occurred within 4.6 cm from the presumed location of the mobile phone (28% vs. 14%). Modestly elevated odds ratios were observed for several indicators of mobile phone use, but without an exposure gradient. The highest odds ratios were found for contralateral and short-term use. Our results, though limited by the small sample size, demonstrate that detailed information on tumor location allows evaluation of the risk related to the most heavily exposed part of the brain, representing direct evaluation of the possible local carcinogenic effects of the radiofrequency fields. However, field strength varies between users and over time also within a given anatomic site, due to the output power of the phone. Collaborative analysis of a larger sample is planned. Bioelectromagnetics 30:176-182, 2009.