title: Occupational risk factors for systemic lupus erythematosus: a nationwide study based on hospitalizations in Sweden.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate possible associations between occupation and hospitalization for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in a nationwide study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A nationwide database was constructed in Sweden by linking the Swedish Census to the Hospital Discharge Register to obtain data on all first hospitalizations with a primary or secondary diagnosis of SLE in adults during the study period (1970 to 2008). Standardized incidence ratios (SIR) and 95% CI were calculated for different occupations. Two cohorts were defined based on occupational titles recorded in Swedish census data in 1970 and 1980.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 8921 male and 42290 female hospitalizations for SLE were retrieved in individuals aged over 15 years. High education (> 12 yrs) was associated with a lower risk of hospitalization for SLE among both women (SIR = 0.73) and men (SIR = 0.72). Among men with the same occupation in 2 consecutive censuses, increased risks (SIR) > 2.0 were present among artistic workers (2.52); shop managers and assistants (3.63); miners and quarry workers (6.04); shoe and leather workers (6.93); plumbers (2.21); other construction workers (2.08); glass, ceramic and tile workers (4.43); chimney sweeps (4.54); and military personnel (3.01). Among women with the same occupation in 2 consecutive censuses, no occupation was associated with SIR > 2.0.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Occupation may carry significantly increased risk of hospital admission for SLE. Especially among men, several occupations were associated with increased risks for SLE.
authors.affiliation: Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University, CRC, hus 28, plan 11, ing 72, SUS, 205 02 Malmö, Sweden. xinjun.li@med.lu.se
authors.forename: Xinjun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sundquist
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sundquist
authors.forename: Bengt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zöller
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019352:Censuses; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000451:nursing; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000451:nursing; D012042:Registries; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult