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Environmental Health : a Global Access... Sep 2021To conduct a systematic review to evaluate the association between residential or occupational short- and long-term exposure to odour pollution from industrial sources... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
OBJECTIVE
To conduct a systematic review to evaluate the association between residential or occupational short- and long-term exposure to odour pollution from industrial sources and the health status of the exposed population.
METHODS
The searches were conducted in Medline, EMBASE and Scopus in April 2021. Exposure to an environmental odour from industrial sources in population resident near the source or in workers was considered. We considered outcomes for which there was a biological plausibility, such as wheezing and asthma, cough, headache, nausea and vomiting (primary outcomes). We also included stress-related symptoms and novel outcomes (e.g. mood states). Risk of bias was evaluated using the OHAT tool. For primary outcomes, when at least 3 studies provided effect estimates by comparing exposed subjects versus not exposed, we pooled the study-specific estimates of odour-related effect using random effects models. Heterogeneity was evaluated with Higgins I.
RESULTS
Thirty studies were eligible for this review, mainly cross-sectional (n = 23). Only one study involved school-age children and two studies involved workers. Only five studies reported odour effects on objective laboratory or clinical outcomes. Animal Feeding Operations and waste were the most common industrial sources. The overall odds ratios in exposed versus not exposed population were 1.15 (95% CI 1.01 to 1.29) for headache (7 studies), 1.09 (95% CI 0.88 to 1.30) for nausea/vomiting (7 studies), and 1.27 (95% CI 1.10 to 1.44) for cough/phlegm (5 studies). Heterogeneity was a moderate concern. Overall, the body of evidence was affected by a definitely high risk of bias in exposure and outcome assessment since most studies used self-reported information.
CONCLUSIONS
Findings underline the public health importance of odour pollution for population living nearby industrial odour sources. The limited evidence for most outcomes supports the need for high quality epidemiological studies on the association between odour pollution and its effects on human health.
Topics: Air Pollution; Animals; Cross-Sectional Studies; Environmental Exposure; Humans; Industry; Occupational Exposure; Odorants
PubMed: 34551760
DOI: 10.1186/s12940-021-00774-3 -
Nanotoxicology Feb 2017The toxicological properties of manufactured nanomaterials (MNMs) can be different from their bulk-material and uncertainty remains about the adverse health effects they... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The toxicological properties of manufactured nanomaterials (MNMs) can be different from their bulk-material and uncertainty remains about the adverse health effects they may have on humans. Proposals for OELs have been put forward which can be useful for risk management and workers' protection. We performed a systematic review of proposals for OELs for MNMs to better understand the extent of such proposals, as well as their derivation methods.
METHODS
We searched PubMed and Embase with an extensive search string and also assessed the references in the included studies. Two authors extracted the data independently.
RESULTS
We identified 20 studies that proposed in total 56 OEL values. Of these, two proposed a generic level for all MNMs, 14 proposed a generic OEL for a category of MNMs and 40 proposed an OEL for a specific nanomaterial. For specific fibers, four studies proposed a similar value but for carbon nanotubes (CNTs) the values differed with a factor ranging from 30 to 50 and for metals with a factor from 100 to 300. The studies did not provide explanations for this variation. We found that exposure to MNMs measured at selected workplaces may exceed even the highest proposed OEL. This indicates that the application and use of OELs may be useful for exposure reduction.
CONCLUSION
OELs can provide a valuable reference point for exposure reduction measures in workplaces. There is a need for more and better supported OELs based on a more systematic approach to OEL derivation.
Topics: Humans; Manufactured Materials; Metals; Nanostructures; Nanotubes, Carbon; Occupational Exposure; Occupational Health; Threshold Limit Values; Workplace
PubMed: 27894206
DOI: 10.1080/17435390.2016.1262920 -
Current Environmental Health Reports Sep 2015Mercury affects the nervous system and has been implicated in altering heart rhythm and function. We sought to better define its role in modulating heart rate... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Mercury affects the nervous system and has been implicated in altering heart rhythm and function. We sought to better define its role in modulating heart rate variability, a well-known marker of cardiac autonomic function.
DESIGN
This is a systematic review study.
METHODS
We searched PubMed, Embase, TOXLINE, and DART databases without language restriction. We report findings as a qualitative systematic review because heterogeneity in study design and assessment of exposures and outcomes across studies, as well as other methodological limitations of the literature, precluded a quantitative meta-analysis.
RESULTS
We identified 12 studies of mercury exposure and heart rate variability in human populations (ten studies involving primarily environmental methylmercury exposure and two studies involving occupational exposure to inorganic mercury) conducted in Japan, the Faroe Islands, Canada, Korea, French Polynesia, Finland, and Egypt. The association of prenatal mercury exposure with lower high-frequency band scores (thought to reflect parasympathetic activity) in several studies, in particular the inverse association of cord blood mercury levels with the coefficient of variation of the R-R intervals and with low-frequency and high-frequency bands at 14 years of age in the Faroe Islands birth cohort study, suggests that early mercury exposure could have a long-lasting effect on cardiac parasympathetic activity. Studies with later environmental exposures to mercury in children or in adults were heterogeneous and did not show consistent associations.
CONCLUSIONS
The evidence was too limited to draw firm causal inferences. Additional research is needed to elucidate the effects of mercury on cardiac autonomic function, particularly as early-life exposures might have lasting impacts on cardiac parasympathetic function.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Autonomic Nervous System; Child; Environmental Exposure; Female; Heart; Heart Rate; Humans; Male; Mercury; Mercury Poisoning, Nervous System; Occupational Exposure; Pregnancy; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects
PubMed: 26231507
DOI: 10.1007/s40572-015-0053-0 -
Scientific Reports Sep 2016Evidence suggests that lifelong cumulative exposure to pesticides may generate lasting toxic effects on the central nervous system and contribute to the development of... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Evidence suggests that lifelong cumulative exposure to pesticides may generate lasting toxic effects on the central nervous system and contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). A number of reports indicate a potential association between long-term/low-dose pesticide exposure and AD, but the results are inconsistent. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis to clarify this association. Relevant studies were identified according to inclusion criteria. Summary odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using fixed-effects models. A total of seven studies were included in our meta-analysis. A positive association was observed between pesticide exposure and AD (OR = 1.34; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.08, 1.67; n = 7). The summary ORs with 95% CIs from the crude and adjusted effect size studies were 1.14 (95% CI = 0.94, 1.38; n = 7) and 1.37 (95% CI = 1.09, 1.71; n = 5), respectively. The sensitivity analyses of the present meta-analysis did not substantially modify the association between pesticide exposure and AD. Subgroup analyses revealed that high-quality studies tended to show significant relationships. The present meta-analysis suggested a positive association between pesticide exposure and AD, confirming the hypothesis that pesticide exposure is a risk factor for AD. Further high-quality cohort and case-control studies are required to validate a causal relationship.
Topics: Alzheimer Disease; Environmental Exposure; Humans; Occupational Exposure; Odds Ratio; Pesticides; Risk Factors
PubMed: 27581992
DOI: 10.1038/srep32222 -
World Journal of Urology Apr 2023There is conflicting evidence on the association between asbestos exposure and bladder cancer. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to provide evidence on... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
PURPOSE
There is conflicting evidence on the association between asbestos exposure and bladder cancer. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to provide evidence on occupational asbestos exposure and the risk of mortality and incidence of bladder cancer.
METHODS
We searched three relevant electronic databases (Pubmed, Scopus, and Embase) from inception to October 2021. The methodological quality of included articles was evaluated using the US National Institutes of Health tool. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) and standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) for bladder cancer, as well as respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs), were extracted or calculated for each included cohort. Main and subgroup meta-analyses according to first year of employment, industry, sex, asbestos type, and geographic region were performed.
RESULTS
Fifty-nine publications comprising 60 cohorts were included. Bladder cancer incidence and mortality were not significantly associated with occupational asbestos exposure (pooled SIR: 1.04, 95% CI: 0.95-1.13, P = 0.000; pooled SMR: 1.06, 95% CI: 0.96-1.17, P = 0.031). Bladder cancer incidence was higher among workers employed between 1908 and 1940 (SIR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.01-1.31). Mortality was elevated in asbestos workers cohorts (SMR: 1.12, 95% CI: 1.06-1.30) and in the subgroup analysis for women (SMR: 1.83, 95% CI: 1.22-2.75). No association was found between asbestos types and bladder cancer incidence or mortality. We observed no difference in the subgroup analysis for countries and no direct publication bias evidence.
CONCLUSION
There is evidence that workers with occupational asbestos exposure have a bladder cancer incidence and mortality similar to the general population.
Topics: Humans; Female; Occupational Diseases; Asbestos; Occupational Exposure; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms; Incidence; Lung Neoplasms
PubMed: 36847813
DOI: 10.1007/s00345-023-04327-w -
Scandinavian Journal of Work,... Jul 2024This study aimed to explore the association between occupational psychosocial exposures and chronic low-back pain (LBP) by conducting a systematic review and... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to explore the association between occupational psychosocial exposures and chronic low-back pain (LBP) by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis.
METHODS
The research protocol was registered in PROSPERO. A systematic literature search was performed in six databases, identifying articles complying with predefined inclusion criteria. In our PECOS, we defined outcome as chronic LBP ≥3 months, exposures as occupational psychosocial exposures, and restricted study design to case-control and cohort studies. Two authors independently excluded articles, extracted data, assessed risk of bias, and graded evidence levels. Meta-analyses were performed using random-effects models.
RESULTS
The 20 included articles encompassed six different occupational psychosocial exposures (job control, demand, strain, support, stress, and satisfaction), only 1 had low risk of bias. For all occupational psychosocial exposures, odds ratios ranged from 0.8 to 1.1. Sensitivity analyses based on risk of bias was conducted for two outcomes ie, job control and job demand, finding no differences between high and low-to-moderate risk of bias studies. Using GRADE, we found a very low level of evidence of the association for all occupational psychosocial exposures.
CONCLUSION
In this study, we found no association between occupational psychosocial exposures and chronic LBP. However, it is important to underline that the level of evidence was very low. High quality studies are highly warranted.
Topics: Humans; Low Back Pain; Occupational Exposure; Chronic Pain; Occupational Diseases
PubMed: 38739907
DOI: 10.5271/sjweh.4165 -
International Journal of Public Health 2023We report results of a systematic review on the health effects of long-term traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) and diabetes in the adult population. An expert Panel... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
We report results of a systematic review on the health effects of long-term traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) and diabetes in the adult population. An expert Panel appointed by the Health Effects Institute conducted this systematic review. We searched the PubMed and LUDOK databases for epidemiological studies from 1980 to July 2019. TRAP was defined based on a comprehensive protocol. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed. Confidence assessments were based on a modified Office for Health Assessment and Translation (OHAT) approach, complemented with a broader narrative synthesis. We extended our interpretation to include evidence published up to May 2022. We considered 21 studies on diabetes. All meta-analytic estimates indicated higher diabetes risks with higher exposure. Exposure to NO was associated with higher diabetes prevalence (RR 1.09; 95% CI: 1.02; 1.17 per 10 μg/m), but less pronounced for diabetes incidence (RR 1.04; 95% CI: 0.96; 1.13 per 10 μg/m). The overall confidence in the evidence was rated moderate, strengthened by the addition of 5 recently published studies. There was moderate evidence for an association of long-term TRAP exposure with diabetes.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Environmental Exposure; Diabetes Mellitus; Incidence; Particulate Matter
PubMed: 37325174
DOI: 10.3389/ijph.2023.1605718 -
Noise & Health 2016To review the available scientific literature about the effects on health by occupational exposure to noise. (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
To review the available scientific literature about the effects on health by occupational exposure to noise.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A systematic review of the retrieved scientific literature from the databases MEDLINE (via PubMed), ISI-Web of Knowledge (Institute for Scientific Information), Cochrane Library Plus, SCOPUS, and SciELO (collection of scientific journals) was conducted. The following terms were used as descriptors and were searched in free text: "Noise, Occupational," "Occupational Exposure," and "Occupational Disease." The following limits were considered: "Humans," "Adult (more than 18 years)," and "Comparative Studies."
RESULTS
A total of 281 references were retrieved, and after applying inclusion/exclusion criteria, 25 articles were selected. Of these selected articles, 19 studies provided information about hearing disturbance, four on cardiovascular disorders, one regarding respiratory alteration, and one on other disorders.
CONCLUSIONS
It can be interpreted that the exposure to noise causes alterations in humans with different relevant outcomes, and therefore appropriate security measures in the work environment must be employed to minimize such an exposure and thereby to reduce the number of associated disorders.
Topics: Cardiovascular Diseases; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced; Humans; Noise, Occupational; Occupational Diseases; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Sleep Wake Disorders
PubMed: 27762251
DOI: 10.4103/1463-1741.192479 -
Environmental Health : a Global Access... Nov 2023Respirable crystalline silica (RCS) is associated with the development of lung cancer. However, there is uncertainty around the exposure threshold at which exposure to... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Respirable crystalline silica (RCS) is associated with the development of lung cancer. However, there is uncertainty around the exposure threshold at which exposure to RCS may pose a clear risk for the development of lung cancer. The objective of this study was to review the cut-off points at which the risk of mortality or incidence of lung cancer due to occupational exposure to RCS becomes evident through a systematic review.
METHODS
We conducted a search in PubMed, including cohort and case-control studies which assessed various categories of RCS exposure. A search was also conducted on the webpages of institutional organizations. A qualitative data synthesis was performed.
RESULTS
Twenty studies were included. Studies that assessed lung cancer mortality and incidence displayed wide variability both in RCS exposure categories and related risks. Although most studies found no significant association for RCS exposure categories, it appears to be a low risk of lung cancer for mean concentrations of less than 0.07mg/m. Regulatory agencies set annual RCS exposure limits ranging from 0.025mg/m through 0.1mg/m.
CONCLUSIONS
There is a wide degree of heterogeneity in RCS exposure categories, with most studies observing no significant risk of lung cancer for the lowest exposure categories. Cut-off points differ between agencies but are nonetheless very similar and do not exceed 0.1mg/m.
Topics: Humans; Air Pollutants, Occupational; Inhalation Exposure; Dust; Occupational Exposure; Silicon Dioxide; Lung Neoplasms
PubMed: 38031062
DOI: 10.1186/s12940-023-01036-0 -
International Maritime Health 2021Occupational noise exposure has been identified as a significant risk factor for fish harvesters. Chronic noise exposure causes hearing and other health problems and...
BACKGROUND
Occupational noise exposure has been identified as a significant risk factor for fish harvesters. Chronic noise exposure causes hearing and other health problems and undermines the quality of life and well-being. This review paper aims to highlight noise-related auditory and non-auditory health effects among fish harvesters.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A systematic literature search approach was adopted using the following databases: PubMed, Embase, SCOPUS, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and by exploring grey literature. The literature search was conducted in 2020 (between October 15 and November 30). Relevant articles were explored by reviewing title, keywords, and abstract based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The full-text critical review of selected papers was made and finalized the most relevant studies.
RESULTS
Initial 1,281 records were identified, exploring various databases and additional sources using relevant keywords. Duplicate articles were removed and retrieved 746 articles. After that, a screening of 746 research papers was done based on the selection criteria and finalised 28 articles for full-text review. Finally, articles were filtered based on the study's aim and extracted 17 papers for the final review.
CONCLUSIONS
Noise-induced hearing loss was considered a significant health risk to fish harvesters across the studies, affecting physical and emotional well-being. The prevalence of hearing loss was observed from 6% to 80%. Other health problems, such as headache, dizziness, annoyance, stress, fatigue, elevated blood pressure, sleep disturbances, and impaired cognitive performance, were also reported. Further research is needed to validate the non-auditory health effects among fish harvesters.
Topics: Animals; Fisheries; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced; Humans; Noise, Occupational; Occupational Diseases; Occupational Exposure; Occupations; Quality of Life
PubMed: 34604990
DOI: 10.5603/IMH.2021.0038