Parkinson's disease in diphenyl-exposed workers--a causal association?
We report a cluster of five cases of Parkinson's disease (PD) among paper mill workers exposed to a fungicide, diphenyl. The cause of PD is still unknown, but epidemiological studies have indicated an elevated risk of developing PD after exposure to pesticides. The five cases of PD were found in a group of 255 diphenyl-exposed workers, and the number of expected cases in the exposed group was estimated to be 0.9, resulting in a relative risk of 5.6 (95% CI 1.8-13). Exposure to diphenyl may have contributed to this PD cluster, but chance is an alternative explanation.
Wastensson
Gunilla
G
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, University of Goteborg, SE-412 66 Goteborg, Sweden. gunilla.wastensson@amm.gu.se
Hagberg
Stig
S
Andersson
Eva
E
Johnels
Bo
B
Barregård
Lars
L
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial; C010574:biphenyl