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PloS One 2021Coal mine dust lung disease comprises a group of occupational lung diseases including coal workers pneumoconiosis. In many countries, there is a lack of robust... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Coal mine dust lung disease comprises a group of occupational lung diseases including coal workers pneumoconiosis. In many countries, there is a lack of robust prevalence estimates for these diseases. Our objective was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of published contemporary estimates on prevalence, mortality, and survival for coal mine dust lung disease worldwide.
METHODS
Systematic searches of PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science databases for English language peer-reviewed articles published from 1/1/2000 to 30/03/2021 that presented quantitative estimates of prevalence, mortality, or survival for coal mine dust lung disease. Review was conducted per PRISMA guidelines. Articles were screened independently by two authors. Studies were critically assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute tools. Pooled prevalence estimates were obtained using random effects meta-analysis models. Heterogeneity was measured using the I2 statistics and publication bias using Egger's tests.
RESULTS
Overall 40 studies were included, (31 prevalence, 8 mortality, 1 survival). Of the prevalence estimates, fifteen (12 from the United States) were retained for the meta-analysis. The overall pooled prevalence estimate for coal workers pneumoconiosis among underground miners was 3.7% (95% CI 3.0-4.5%) with high heterogeneity between studies. The pooled estimate of coal workers pneumoconiosis prevalence in the United States was higher in the 2000s than in the 1990s, consistent with published reports of increasing prevalence following decades of declining trends. Sub-group analyses also indicated higher prevalence among underground miners, and in Central Appalachia. The mortality studies were suggestive of reduced pneumoconiosis mortality rates over time, relative to the general population.
CONCLUSION
The ongoing prevalence of occupational lung diseases among contemporary coal miners highlights the importance of respiratory surveillance and preventive efforts through effective dust control measures. Limited prevalence studies from countries other than the United States limits our understanding of the current disease burden in other coal-producing countries.
Topics: Anthracosis; Coal Mining; Humans; International Agencies; Lung Diseases; Occupational Diseases; Occupational Exposure; Prevalence
PubMed: 34343220
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0255617 -
Frontiers in Medicine 2021Particulate matter 2.5 (PM) in the air enters the human body by diffusion into the blood. Therefore, hematological abnormalities might occur because of these toxic...
Particulate matter 2.5 (PM) in the air enters the human body by diffusion into the blood. Therefore, hematological abnormalities might occur because of these toxic particles, but few studies on this issue have been reported. According to Cochrane guidance, we performed a systematic review on the relationship between exposure to PM and the risk of hematological disorders. Ten articles were included in this review. Anemia was found among children and elderly populations with 2- to 5-year PM exposure. Young children from mothers exposed to air pollution during pregnancy had a higher incidence of leukemia similar to the elderly. Supporting these data, outdoor workers also showed abnormal epigenetic modifications after exposure to very high PM levels. Adults living in high PM areas for 2 years were more likely to develop thrombocytosis. Finally, elderly populations with 7- to 8-year PM exposure showed increased risks of venous thromboembolism. In conclusion, the associations between PM and hematological aberrations among high-risk people with long-term exposure were reported.
PubMed: 34336895
DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.692008 -
Journal of Education and Health... 2021New epidemiological studies acknowledge the detrimental effects of dust storms on health. The aim of this study was to systematically review the effects of dust storms... (Review)
Review
New epidemiological studies acknowledge the detrimental effects of dust storms on health. The aim of this study was to systematically review the effects of dust storms on the morbidity and mortality rates of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. The results of this study were obtained based on articles published in English-language journals. For the purpose of this study, all articles published until the end of 2020 based on the search in the "Scopus," "Web of Science," and "PubMed" databases were selected. Articles were searched independently by two trained researchers. Dust storms are the cause of many diseases and health-related complications, of which cardiovascular and respiratory diseases are common. It is necessary to recognize and investigate the harmful effects of dust storms to prevent serious harms to human societies. In the reviewed articles, the impact of dust storms on several diseases, including cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, has been analyzed. Most of these articles acknowledge the effect of dust storms on increasing the incidence and mortality rate of these diseases, although in some articles this effect is not statistically significant. Many studies conducted around the world confirm the harmful effects of dust storms on cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, including increase in the number and duration of hospitalizations, as well as increase in mortality and exacerbation of these diseases. However, some studies do not consider the harmful effects of dust storms on the above diseases to be statistically significant.
PubMed: 34250125
DOI: 10.4103/jehp.jehp_1272_20 -
Iranian Journal of Public Health Dec 2020Classroom is where children spend much of their time in; this study aimed to identify the concentration of heavy metals in the classroom dust based on the results of... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Classroom is where children spend much of their time in; this study aimed to identify the concentration of heavy metals in the classroom dust based on the results of various studies in the world using the published data up to years 2018.
METHODS
Fifteen studies were selected for the study according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The mean concentration of 11 heavy metals including arsenic, barium, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, nickel, and zinc was extracted.
RESULTS
The highest mean concentration of heavy metal (mg/kg) in classroom dust was related to iron (3904.7, 95%CI: 3657.1-8154.3), zinc (429.9, 95%CI: 182.8-677.1) and barium (419.2, 95%CI: 274.7-253.7), respectively. Subgroup analysis showed the maximum concentration (mg/kg) of iron in Iran (16945.5), zinc in Hong Kong (2293.5), barium in China (979.8), manganese in Iran (288.9), lead in Iran (258.8), chromium in Ghana (381.3), copper in Hong Kong (274.4), nickel in Iran (50.1), cobalt in China(43.4), arsenic in China(13.7) and cadmium in Hong Kong(8.7).
CONCLUSION
Even safe and healthy classrooms can threaten children's health by heavy metals. These metals are important since they are naturally found throughout the earth's crust, accumulate in the food chain and contaminate drinking water as well as alloys in school equipment.
PubMed: 34178735
DOI: 10.18502/ijph.v49i12.4809 -
Environmental Health Insights 2021Dust storms and their impacts on health are becoming a major public health issue. The current study examines the health impacts of dust storms around the world to... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Dust storms and their impacts on health are becoming a major public health issue. The current study examines the health impacts of dust storms around the world to provide an overview of this issue.
METHOD
In this systematic review, 140 relevant and authoritative English articles on the impacts of dust storms on health (up to September 2019) were identified and extracted from 28 968 articles using valid keywords from various databases (PubMed, WOS, EMBASE, and Scopus) and multiple screening steps. Selected papers were then qualitatively examined and evaluated. Evaluation results were summarized using an Extraction Table.
RESULTS
The results of the study are divided into two parts: short and long-term impacts of dust storms. Short-term impacts include mortality, visitation, emergency medical dispatch, hospitalization, increased symptoms, and decreased pulmonary function. Long-term impacts include pregnancy, cognitive difficulties, and birth problems. Additionally, this study shows that dust storms have devastating impacts on health, affecting cardiovascular and respiratory health in particular.
CONCLUSION
The findings of this study show that dust storms have significant public health impacts. More attention should be paid to these natural hazards to prepare for, respond to, and mitigate these hazardous events to reduce their negative health impacts.Registration: PROSPERO registration number CRD42018093325.
PubMed: 34103932
DOI: 10.1177/11786302211018390 -
SAGE Open Medicine 2021Occupational respiratory symptoms are manifestations of respiratory diseases because of exposure to dust or chemicals such as asbestos, silicon and aluminium in the... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Occupational respiratory symptoms are manifestations of respiratory diseases because of exposure to dust or chemicals such as asbestos, silicon and aluminium in the workplace like cement factory, tannery, textile and/or street sweeping, all of which affect the health condition and productivity. In Ethiopia, several primary studies were conducted regarding the magnitude of occupational respiratory symptoms with the prevalence of 68.89% in street sweepers and associated factors with inconsistent results. This meta-analysis aimed to pool the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and their associated factors among Ethiopian adults working in different workplaces.
METHODS
PubMed, African Journals Online, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library and Direct Google were systematically searched to identify primary studies. Two authors performed data abstraction and quality assessment for each included study independently. Cochran's Q-statistic and I (I-squared) statistic were used to check heterogeneity. DerSimonian and Laird random-effects models were used to estimate the pooled prevalence and associated factors of respiratory symptoms. Publication bias was checked by funnel plot and Egger's test, and also sensitivity analyses were performed.
RESULTS
Ten primary studies with 3441 study participants were included for the narrative synthesis and meta-analysis of the pooled prevalence of occupational respiratory symptoms. The pooled prevalence of overall occupational respiratory symptom was 54.58% (95% CI: 45.37-63.79). Dry cough was the most encountered respiratory symptom [34.93, 95% CI: 29.52-40.35], followed by breathlessness [28.67%, 95% CI: 20.13-37.22]. Work experience of over 5 years [OR = 2.24, 95% CI: 1.21-4.16] and educational level of Grade 8 and lower [OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.06-1.55] were significantly associated with occupational respiratory symptoms.
CONCLUSION
In this review, the pooled prevalence of occupational respiratory symptoms was high. The findings of this study dictate the need for the implementation of workplace safety measures. Special attention is required to employees with lower educational level and longer duration of work experience.
PROSPERO REGISTRATION
CRD42020176826.
PubMed: 34094559
DOI: 10.1177/20503121211018121 -
BMC Public Health May 2021While the association between occupational inhalation of silica dust and pulmonary tuberculosis has been known for over a century, there has never been a published... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
While the association between occupational inhalation of silica dust and pulmonary tuberculosis has been known for over a century, there has never been a published systematic review, particularly of experience in the current era of less severe silicosis and treatable tuberculosis. We undertook a systematic review of the evidence for the association between (1) silicosis and pulmonary tuberculosis, and (2) silica exposure and pulmonary tuberculosis controlling for silicosis, and their respective exposure-response gradients.
METHODS
We searched PUBMED and EMBASE, and selected studies according to a priori inclusion criteria. We extracted, summarised and pooled the results of published case-control and cohort studies of silica exposure and/or silicosis and incident active tuberculosis. Study quality was assessed on the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Where meta-analysis was possible, effect estimates were pooled using inverse-variance weighted random-effects models. Otherwise narrative and graphic synthesis was undertaken. Confidence regarding overall effect estimates was assessed using the GRADE schema.
RESULTS
Nine studies met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis of eight studies of silicosis and tuberculosis yielded a pooled relative risk of 4.01 (95% confidence interval (CI) 2.88, 5.58). Exposure-response gradients were strong with a low silicosis severity threshold for increased risk. Our GRADE assessment was high confidence in a strong association. Meta-analysis of five studies of silica exposure controlling for or excluding silicosis yielded a pooled relative risk of 1.92 (95% CI 1.36, 2.73). Exposure-response gradients were observable in individual studies but not finely stratified enough to infer an exposure threshold. Our GRADE assessment was low confidence in the estimated effect owing to inconsistency and use of proxies for silica exposure.
CONCLUSIONS
The evidence is robust for a strongly elevated risk of tuberculosis with radiological silicosis, with a low disease severity threshold. The effect estimate is more uncertain for silica exposure without radiological silicosis. Research is needed, particularly cohort studies measuring silica exposure in different settings, to characterise the effect more accurately as well as the silica exposure threshold that could be used to prevent excess tuberculosis risk.
Topics: Dust; Humans; Occupational Exposure; Risk Factors; Silicon Dioxide; Silicosis
PubMed: 34016067
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-10711-1 -
Journal of Indian Prosthodontic Society 2021This systematic review aims to identify and interpret results of studies that evaluated the changes in the color stability of maxillofacial prosthetic materials due to... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
AIM
This systematic review aims to identify and interpret results of studies that evaluated the changes in the color stability of maxillofacial prosthetic materials due to chemical instability of silicones and pigments and the effect of exposure to environmental conditions and aging factors on the same.
SETTINGS AND DESIGN
This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines (PRISMA).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Relevant articles written in English only, before November 15, 2019, were identified using an electronic search in the PubMed/Medline conducted to identify pertinent articles. The relevancy of the articles was verified by screening the title, abstract, and full text, if they met the inclusion criteria. A total of 42 articles satisfied the criteria, from which data were extracted for qualitative synthesis. This review protocol was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO registration number CRD42019124562).
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED
Since considerable data heterogenicity was present in all studies except the ones on incorporation of TiO2 for which meta-analysis using random effects model was performed.
RESULTS
The database search resulted in 234 studies, of which 202 articles were excluded due to lack of relevance, duplication, and unavailability of data. The remaining 32 fulltext articles were assessed for eligibility, out of which 2 articles were excluded. Twelve articles were yielded by manual search. A total of 42 studies were included in the present systematic review. Due to heterogeneous data, meta-analysis could be only carried out with the effect of TiO nano particle on color stability.
CONCLUSIONS
Although there has been extensive amount of research in this field, an ideal maxillofacial silicone exhibiting good color stability in various human and environmental aging conditions is yet to be identified. Human and environmental aging conditions have an adverse effect on the color stability and addition of TiO nano particle seems to improve the same.
Topics: Humans; Silicone Elastomers
PubMed: 33938863
DOI: 10.4103/jips.jips_253_19 -
PloS One 2021Respiratory infections, including SARS-CoV-2, are spread via inhalation or ingestion of airborne pathogens. Airborne transmission is difficult to control, particularly...
Respiratory infections, including SARS-CoV-2, are spread via inhalation or ingestion of airborne pathogens. Airborne transmission is difficult to control, particularly indoors. Manufacturers of high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters claim they remove almost all small particles including airborne bacteria and viruses. This study investigates whether modern portable, commercially available air filters reduce the incidence of respiratory infections and/or remove bacteria and viruses from indoor air. We systematically searched Medline, Embase and Cochrane for studies published between January 2000 and September 2020. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they included a portable, commercially available air filter in any indoor setting including care homes, schools or healthcare settings, investigating either associations with incidence of respiratory infections or removal and/or capture of aerosolised bacteria and viruses from the air within the filters. Dual data screening and extraction with narrative synthesis. No studies were found investigating the effects of air filters on the incidence of respiratory infections. Two studies investigated bacterial capture within filters and bacterial load in indoor air. One reported higher numbers of viable bacteria in the HEPA filter than in floor dust samples. The other reported HEPA filtration combined with ultraviolet light reduced bacterial load in the air by 41% (sampling time not reported). Neither paper investigated effects on viruses. There is an important absence of evidence regarding the effectiveness of a potentially cost-efficient intervention for indoor transmission of respiratory infections, including SARS-CoV-2. Two studies provide 'proof of principle' that air filters can capture airborne bacteria in an indoor setting. Randomised controlled trials are urgently needed to investigate effects of portable HEPA filters on incidence of respiratory infections.
Topics: Air Filters; Air Pollution, Indoor; Bacteria; COVID-19; Communicable Disease Control; Housing; Humans; Respiratory Tract Infections; SARS-CoV-2; Viruses; Workplace
PubMed: 33914823
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0251049 -
BioMed Research International 2021Evidence on the carcinogenicity of coalmine dust in occupational settings is still conflicting. Therefore, we conducted this research to evaluate the mortality risk of... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Evidence on the carcinogenicity of coalmine dust in occupational settings is still conflicting. Therefore, we conducted this research to evaluate the mortality risk of lung cancer for coalminers exposed to occupational dust when compared to population with no or low dust exposure.
METHODS
Databases of PubMed and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure as well as reference lists were searched updated to September 18, 2020. The enrolled articles should report lung cancer mortality risk for coalminers exposed to occupational dust. Basic information was extracted such as the author and publication year, area and ethnicity, the type and estimates of outcome, duration of follow-up, and the study design. The checklists from Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale were used for the assessment of quality and bias risk for descriptive studies, cohort studies, and case control studies, respectively. The overall relative risks were calculated while Begg's and Egger's tests and sensitivity analysis were performed to explore potential heterogeneity sources. Metaregression and subgroup analyses were also conducted to give more detailed information for the correlation between dust exposure and lung cancer mortality.
RESULTS
A total of 19 articles with 22 different studies (descriptive study, case control study, and cohort study) including 8909 observed deaths from 1964 to 2017 were enrolled with a significant heterogeneity ( = 95%, < 0.001). The pooled relative risk of mortality from lung cancer was 1.16 (1.03-1.30) for coalminers. Results of metaregression analysis indicated that the high heterogeneity among these enrolled studies might be caused by the ethnicity differences ( = 0.011). Subgroup analysis also indicated that the pooled estimate for Asian population in China was 4.94 (3.95-6.17) with = 39.3% and = 0.192. All these results suggested that exposure to occupational dust would significantly increase the mortality risk of lung cancer, especially for Asian population in China, which should be measured and controlled more strictly. . This systematic review and meta-analysis provides high-quality evidence that exposure to occupational dust might increase the mortality risk of lung cancer, especially for Asian populations in China. The magnitude of this effect is of major public health importance in view of the ubiquitous existence of coalmining industry in China and even in the world. However, these pooled estimates should be interpreted cautiously because of the high heterogeneity among these publications. . This study was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2016YFC1302501).
Topics: Coal; Coal Mining; Dust; Humans; Lung Neoplasms; Occupational Diseases; Occupational Exposure
PubMed: 33763477
DOI: 10.1155/2021/6624799