title: Reduced lung function in children associated with cesium 137 body burden.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We previously reported that obstructive and restrictive lung function findings were associated with radioactive Cesium 137 ((137)Cs) soil contamination from the 1986 Chernobyl disaster in a pediatric cohort residing in the Narodichesky district of Ukraine from 1993 to 1998.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether these associations persist, we repeated the study and refined the exposure by measuring individual radiation concentration with a whole-body counter.
  
  
  METHODS
  Basic and post-bronchodilator spirometry measurements were made for 517 children aged 8 to 17 years born in and living within this differentially contaminated study area during 2008 to 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A γ-spectrometer equipped with a collimator was used for the measurement of whole-body radiation and adjusted for weight. General linear and logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between spirometry measures and the weight-adjusted (137)Cs whole-body burden (Bq/kg) while controlling for potential confounders. The geometric median weight-adjusted radiation concentration was 65.96 Bq/kg (95% confidence interval, 14.98-240.9 Bq/kg), equivalent to a geometric mean internal dose estimate of 0.165 mSv/yr (95% confidence interval, 0.037-0.602 mSv/yr). Decrements in percentage predicted FEV1/FVC and an increased odds of bronchodilator responsiveness, restrictive impairment, and FVC less than lower limit of normal were associated with a log increase in weight-adjusted (137)Cs whole-body burden after adjusting for potential confounders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our previous study of soil (137)Cs exposure and reduced lung function was corroborated herein with individual (137)Cs whole-body burden, although low, and annual internal dose data. Children in a region just outside of the closed Chernobyl contamination zone continued to have respiratory health deficits associated with (137)Cs whole-body burden as recently as 2010.
authors.affiliation: 1 Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana.|2 Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina.
authors.forename: Erik R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Svendsen
authors.affiliation: 3 Research Center for Radiation Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine.
authors.forename: Ighor E
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Kolpakov
authors.affiliation: 4 University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee; and.
authors.forename: Wilfried J J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Karmaus
authors.affiliation: 2 Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina.
authors.forename: Lawrence C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Mohr
authors.affiliation: 3 Research Center for Radiation Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine.
authors.forename: Vitaliy Y
authors.initials: VY
authors.lastname: Vdovenko
authors.affiliation: 5 University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina.
authors.forename: Daria M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: McMahon
authors.affiliation: 1 Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana.
authors.forename: Benjamin A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Jelin
authors.affiliation: 3 Research Center for Radiation Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine.
authors.forename: Yevgenia I
authors.initials: YI
authors.lastname: Stepanova
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001822:Body Burden; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000506:poisoning*; D047852:Chernobyl Nuclear Accident; D002648:Child; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011634:Public Health; D011839:Radiation, Ionizing; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D014455:Ukraine
chemical_list: D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes
keywords: Cesium 137; Chernobyl; ionizing radiation; lung function