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Cardiovascular mortality among munitions workers exposed to nitroglycerin and dinitrotoluene.

Stayner LT; Dannenberg AL; Thun M; Reeve G; Bloom TF; Boeniger M; Halperin W

Scand J Work Environ Health 1992 Feb; 18(1):34-43

https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.1610

00206719

A study of cardiovascular mortality among munitions workers exposed to nitroglycerin (55630) and dinitrotoluene (121142) (DNT) was conducted. The cohort consisted of 15654 current or former white male employees at a United States Army munitions factory in Radford, Virginia. A total of 5529 were potentially exposed to nitroglycerin and 4989 to DNT; 5136 were exposed to neither. The vital status of the subjects was determined on December 31, 1982. Death certificates were reviewed, and standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) and rate ratios (SRRs) were computed using the general United States population as the reference. Data were also analyzed by Poisson regression techniques. Mortality from all causes was close to that expected for the nitroglycerin and DNT exposed and unexposed subjects; SMRs were 1.03, 1.00, and 0.99, respectively. Mortality from cerebrovascular disease was less than expected in nitroglycerin and DNT exposed subjects; SMRs were 0.90 and 0.95, respectively. Death due to ischemic heart disease (IHD) was close to that expected in DNT exposed subjects, but slightly increased in subjects exposed to nitroglycerin (SMRs 0.98 and 1.07). When expressed as SRRs, IHD mortality was significantly increased in nitroglycerin subjects under the age of 35 (SRR 5.46). Cerebrovascular mortality was elevated in subjects 55 to 59 years old exposed to DNT (SRR 4.46). Poisson regression analysis showed a significant interaction between age and nitroglycerin exposure for IHD mortality. The strongest effect was observed in workers actively exposed to nitroglycerin before the age of 45 (SRR 3.30).

NIOSH-Author; Epidemiology; Mortality-data; Nitro-compounds; Cardiovascular-disease; Explosives-industry; Age-factors; Occupational-exposure; Author Keywords: cerebrovascular disease; epidemiology; ischemic heart disease

Dr LT Stayner, NIOSH, Robert Taft Labs, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226, USA

SWEHDO

55-63-0; 121-14-2

19920201

Journal Article

1992

1

0355-3140

DSDTT; DSHEFS

Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health

OH; MD; GA; IN; VA