Occupational exposures and movement abnormalities among Japanese-American men: the Honolulu-Asia Aging Study.
OBJECTIVE
The authors analyzed data on 1,049 men aged 71-93 years (excluding those with prevalent Parkinson's disease and stroke) from the Honolulu Heart Program (1965-1968) and the Honolulu-Asia Aging Study (1991-1999) to determine whether occupational exposures to pesticides, solvents, metals, manganese, and mercury during middle age were associated with 14 movement abnormalities 25 years later.


METHODS
Analyses of variance and multivariate logistic regression were used to assess associations of interest.


RESULTS
After adjustment for age, BMI, cognitive functioning, smoking, alcohol drinking, education, and physical activity, there was a positive association between abnormal 'facial expression' and the highest exposure to metals [odds ratio (OR) = 2.62; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.35-5.11; trend, p = 0.02], and the highest exposure to mercury (OR = 1.91; 95% CI = 1.04-3.49; trend, p = 0.03). Age was positively associated with all movement abnormalities, and cognitive function, body mass index and physical activity were inversely associated with most movement abnormalities.


CONCLUSIONS
Higher exposure to any metal, and specifically mercury, was associated with abnormal facial expression.
Charles
Luenda E
LE
Biostatistics and Epidemiology Branch, Health Effects Laboratory Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, WV 26505-2888, USA. lcharles@cdc.gov
Burchfiel
Cecil M
CM
Fekedulegn
Desta
D
Kashon
Michael L
ML
Ross
G Webster
GW
Petrovitch
Helen
H
Sanderson
Wayne T
WT
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001213:Asian; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006254:Hawaii / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008670:Metals / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000208:ethnology*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000208:ethnology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010575:Pesticides / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015995:Prevalence; D012997:Solvents / Q000009:adverse effects*
D008670:Metals; D010575:Pesticides; D012997:Solvents