Association between blood concentration of polychlorinated biphenyls and manifestations of symptoms and signs in chronic "Yusho" patients from 1986 to 1997.
To examine the association between blood PCB level and manifestations of symptoms and signs by Yusho patients, a cross-sectional study was conducted using the results of nationwide health examination for Yusho. The subjects were the officially identified Yusho patients who admitted the health examination from 1986 to 1997. The number of examinees with known blood PCB level was 334 in 1986, and decreased to 214 in 1997. The numbers of male and female patients were similar. The geometric mean (95% confidence interval) of blood PCBs concentration was 4.05 ppb (3.75 to 4.37) in 1986 and 2.85 ppb (2.63 to 3.08) in 1997. Multiple logistic regression analysis was carried out for the data of each year with log-transformed blood PCB level as an explanatory variable and a manifestation of a sign or symptom as a response variable. Sex and age adjusted odds ratio and significance level (P) were computed. Positive association of blood PCB level with manifestations of comedones on the trunk and acneiform eruptions on the genital and gluteal regions was statistically significant for five, eight and six times, respectively. No other symptoms or signs showed such strong associations. Associations between manifestations of these signs and blood PCB level, however, did not seem to diminish in the twelve years of observation. It is suggested that the positive association of these signs with blood PCB level will still be maintained.
Tokunaga
S
S
Department of Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
Kataoka
K
K
D017486:Acneiform Eruptions / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination; D006261:Headache / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012275:Oryza / Q000506:poisoning*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000506:poisoning*; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000097:blood* / Q000506:poisoning*; D015995:Prevalence
D010938:Plant Oils; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls