Mortality in the German porcelain industry 1985-2005: first results of an epidemiological cohort study.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate mortality due to lung cancer, silicosis, renal cancer, renal disease and other causes among German porcelain production workers potentially exposed to crystalline silica.


METHODS
Seventeen thousand six hundred forty-four medical surveillance participants (1985-1987) were followed through 2005 for mortality. Cause-specific Standardized Mortality Ratios (SMR) and 95% confidence intervals were estimated.


RESULTS
Women (SMR = 0.85; 95% CI = 0.78 to 0.93), but not men, demonstrated a healthy worker effect. Lung and renal cancers, and renal disease (non-malignant renal disease) were not associated with employment or exposure surrogates. Mortality was increased from silicosis (SMR = 7.20; 95% CI = 2.32 to 16.8) liver (SMR = 1.99; 95% CI = 1.29 to 2.93) and pancreatic (SMR = 1.71; 95% CI = 1.18 to 2.41) cancers among men, and diabetes among women (SMR = 1.74; 95% CI = 1.07 to 2.65). A sub-cohort of Bavarian workers generated similar but generally higher SMRs.


CONCLUSIONS
Silicosis mortality was increased in this, among the largest studies to date. However, associations previously observed between crystalline silica exposure and renal or lung cancers or non-malignant renal disease were not supported.
Birk
Thomas
T
Environ Germany GmbH, Essen, Germany. tbirk@environcorp.com
Mundt
Kenneth A
KA
Guldner
Karlheinz
K
Parsons
William
W
Luippold
Rose S
RS
D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D002423:Cause of Death / Q000639:trends*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003776:Dental Porcelain; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000506:poisoning
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D003776:Dental Porcelain; D012822:Silicon Dioxide