title: Associations between former exposure to manganese and olfaction in an elderly population: Results from the Heinz Nixdorf Recall Study.
abstract: Occupational exposure to manganese (Mn) has been associated with impairments in olfaction and motor functions, but it has yet to be determined if such effects persist upon cessation of exposure. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of former occupational Mn exposure on olfaction within the framework of a prospective cohort study among an elderly German population. Information on job tasks with recognized Mn exposure and data on odor identification assessed with Sniffin' sticks was collected during the second follow-up of the Heinz Nixdorf Recall Study. The study population consisted of 1385 men aged 55-86 years, 354 of whom ever worked in jobs with potential Mn exposure (median 58.3μg/m3years, interquartile range 19.0-185μg/m3years). Multiple exposure measures, including job tasks, cumulative Mn exposure, and Mn determined in blood samples (MnB) archived at baseline, were used to estimate effects of Mn on olfaction. Having ever worked as welder was associated with better olfaction compared to other blue-collar workers without Mn exposure. Blue-collar workers identified less odors in comparison to white-collar workers. Concentrations of previous Mn exposure >185μg/m3years or MnB ≥15μg/L were not associated with impaired olfaction. In addition to a strong age effect, participants with lower occupational qualification identified less odors. We found no relevant association of former Mn exposure at relatively low levels with impaired olfaction. Possible neurotoxic Mn effects may not be persistent after cessation.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (IPA), Bochum, Germany. Electronic address: casjens@ipa-dguv.de.
authors.forename: Swaantje
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Casjens
authors.affiliation: Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (IPA), Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Beate
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pesch
authors.affiliation: Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (IPA), Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Sibylle
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Robens
authors.affiliation: Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (IPA), Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kendzia
authors.affiliation: Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (IPA), Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Behrens
authors.affiliation: Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (IPA), Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.affiliation: Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (IPA), Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Nadin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ulrich
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology (IMIBE), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arendt
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology (IMIBE), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Lewin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Eisele
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology (IMIBE), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Noreen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pundt
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology (IMIBE), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marr
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), Dortmund, Germany.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: van Thriel
authors.affiliation: Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the German Social Accident Insurance (IFA), Sankt Augustin, Germany.
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Van Gelder
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aschner
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology (IMIBE), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moebus
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Sociology, Medical Faculty, University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Nico
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dragano
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology (IMIBE), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Karl-Heinz
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Jöckel
authors.affiliation: Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (IPA), Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Brüning
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018672:Community Health Planning; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008345:Manganese / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009812:Odorants; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D008345:Manganese; D007501:Iron
keywords: Cohort study; Manganese; Odor identification; Sniffin’ sticks; Welding