title: Rationale, design and baseline results of the Guangxi manganese-exposed workers healthy cohort (GXMEWHC) study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the relationship between biomarkers of exposure, disease and susceptibility, and early health effects and long-term diseases related to occupational manganese (Mn) exposure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Baseline survey of a longitudinal cohort study of workers in a ferromanganese refinery.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1888 individuals (1197 men, 691 women; average seniority 15.34 years) were enrolled in the Guangxi manganese-exposed workers healthy cohort (GXMEWHC) study. Participants were between 18 and 60 years of age (mean 40.31 years), had worked in the ferromanganese refinery for at least 1 year and lived in the local area.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The GXMEWHC study included a baseline survey. Participants were divided into four groups according to manganese (Mn) cumulative exposure index (Mn-CEI) levels: an internal control group (Mn-CEI <1.0 mg/m(3) year), a low exposure group (1.0 mg/m(3) year≤Mn-CEI<2.0 mg/m(3) year), a medium exposure group (2.0 mg/m(3) year≤Mn-CEI<5.0 mg/m(3) year) and a high exposure group (Mn-CEI≥5.0 mg/m(3) year). Genome-wide association studies of quantitative trait loci and binary trait loci in 500 Mn-exposed workers were performed using Illumina Infinium HumanExome BeadChip arrays. Stored plasma, DNA, hair and urine are available for further study. Participants will be followed up every 3 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The GXMEWHC study provides abundant data for exploring the systemic health effects of occupational Mn exposure using biomarkers of exposure, disease and susceptibility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Yingnan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Yunfeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Kangcheng
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Damin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Yuefei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Yaoqiu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.affiliation: Baise Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Baise, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Zhihao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Baise Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Baise, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Bei
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Qing
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Lang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Fenfen
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Xiaobo
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002681:China; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008345:Manganese / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008906:Mining; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016272:Occupational Health; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C083456:ferro-manganese alloy; D008345:Manganese; D007501:Iron
keywords: Epidemiology; Genetics; Occupational & Industrial Medicine