title: Effect of occupational polychlorinated biphenyls exposure on quality-adjusted life years over time at the HELPcB surveillance program.
abstract: HELPcB (Health Effects in High-Level Exposure to Polychlorinated Biphenyls [PCB]) is a surveillance program for former PCB-exposed workers of a capacitor recycling company and other concerned individuals. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) on the health-related quality of life (HRQL) and on quality-adjusted life years (QALY). The EQ-5D-3L questionnaire was used to determine the HRQL. After three cross-sectional examinations at intervals of 1 yr, the longitudinal development of QALY was compared by repeated-measurement analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The cohort was split at the 95th percentile of the comparison group for each PCB congener; known confounders such as age were taken into account. A significant difference in height and development of QALY over time was shown for the higher chlorinated non-dioxin-like PCB (hcPCB) congeners. A significant between-groups effect was found on PCB 153, PCB 180, and the sum of hcPCB. It was found that QALY decreased in the high-burden group and QALY stabilized after yr 2 in the normal-burden group. Taking the dimensions of the EQ-5D into account, the between-groups effect seems to be based predominantly on the dimension anxiety. The development of the within-group effect, however, seems to be based on the dimension mobility. This study detected a significant influence of hcPCB on the development of HRQL and QALYs over time according to the level of internal PCB burden.
authors.affiliation: a Institute for Occupational Medicine and Social Medicine , RWTH Aachen University , Aachen , Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Esser
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Gaum
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schettgen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kraus
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gube
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D011788:Quality of Life; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years; D059027:Recycling
chemical_list: D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls