title: Prevalence and incidence rates of mental syndromes after occupational exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls.
abstract: Mental disorders were often reported following hazardous substance exposure. The present study analyses this association in relation to a work-related exposure to PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls). Specifically, the aim was to investigate (a) the relationship of inner PCB burden and the severity of mental symptoms and (b) the prevalence and incidence of mental syndromes. This study was initiated as part of the occupational medical surveillance program HELPcB (Health Effects in high level exposure to PCB). A total of 136 individuals were included in the analysis. The plasma PCBs were collected via biomonitoring and the psychological syndromes (i.e., somatoform, depressive, anxiety, panic) with a standardized screening instrument. The relationship of PCB and the severity of mental syndromes were analyzed via linear regression. Prevalence rates, the respective odds ratios (OR) and the incidence rates were calculated with logistic regressions. We thereby compared the higher-PCB burdened individuals with those individuals showing PCB levels comparable to the general population. We found especially a significant relationship between PCB burden and depressivity. Within the higher-PCB-exposed group prevalence rates were descriptively higher than for normal-exposed participants, except for anxiety syndrome. Similarly, the higher exposed group had a higher risk for developing a depressive syndrome. The incidence rates were always descriptively higher in higher-exposed group. To summarize, this study supports a relationship between PCB exposure and mental illness.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Occupational Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Germany. Electronic address: pgaum@ukaachen.de.
authors.forename: Petra M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Gaum
authors.affiliation: Institute for Occupational Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Germany.
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Esser
authors.affiliation: Institute for Occupational Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schettgen
authors.affiliation: Institute for Occupational Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Germany.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gube
authors.affiliation: Institute for Occupational Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kraus
authors.affiliation: Institute for Occupational Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Germany.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lang
mesh_terms: D001822:Body Burden; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D015994:Incidence; D016014:Linear Models; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls
keywords: Hazardous substance exposure; Incidence rate; Mental health; PCB; Prevalence rate