[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Re: Another (partial) literature review
Regarding the Swedish nonsmoking radon study,
The radon action levels in most of Europe is 200 Bq/m^3 for new
construction and 400 Bq/m^3 for old houses. The authors stratified the data
for (values in Bq/m^3) <50, 50-100, 101-200, 201-400, >400. But their data
analysis used grouping of (values in Bq/m^3): <50, 50-80, 80-140, and >140,
which coincides with the U.S. EPA levels. I found this change curious.
The authors report a RR of 1.55 for >140 Bq/m^3.
The European classification is still positive, but the number of cases is
low enough to change the results significantly with a single addition or
deletion of a case in any group above 200 Bq/m^3.
RR (measured results) for 101-200: 1.15, 201-400: 1.15, >400: 1.20
Also note that 83% of the cases had radon levels below the EPA action
level.
They also found a significant impact from second hand smoke, but they
didn't test for other potential lung carcinogens.
Just some observations.
Tom
> Authors
> Lagarde F. Axelsson G. Damber L. Mellander H. Nyberg F. Pershagen G.
>
> Institution
> Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm,
> Sweden.
>
> Title
> Residential radon and lung cancer among never-smokers in Sweden.
>
> Source
> Epidemiology. 12(4):396-404, 2001 Jul.
>
> Abstract
> In this study, we attempted to reduce existing uncertainty about the
> relative risk of lung cancer from residential radon exposure among
> never-smokers. Comprehensive measurements of domestic radon were performed
> for 258 never-smoking lung cancer cases and 487 never-smoking controls from
> five Swedish case-control studies. With additional never-smokers from a
> previous case-control study of lung cancer and residential radon exposure in
> Sweden, a total of 436 never-smoking lung cancer cases diagnosed in Sweden
> between 1980 and 1995 and 1,649 never-smoking controls were included. The
> relative risks (with 95% confidence intervals in parentheses) of lung cancer
> in relation to categories of time-weighted average domestic radon
> concentration during three decades, delimited by cutpoints at 50, 80, and
> 140 Bq m(-3), were 1.08 (0.8--1.5), 1.18 (0.9--1.6), and 1.44 (1.0--2.1),
> respectively, with average radon concentrations below 50 Bq m(-3) used as
> reference category and with adjustment for other risk factors. The data
> suggested that among never-smokers residential radon exposure may be more
> harmful for those exposed to environmental tobacco smoke. Overall, an excess
> relative risk of 10% per 100 Bq m(-3) average radon concentration was
> estimated, which is similar to the summary effect estimate for all subjects
> in the main residential radon studies to date.
> --------------------------------
>
> >You are currently subscribed to the Radsafe mailing list. To unsubscribe,
> >send an e-mail to Majordomo@list.vanderbilt.edu Put the text "unsubscribe
> >radsafe" (no quote marks) in the body of the e-mail, with no subject line.
> >You can view the Radsafe archives at http://www.vanderbilt.edu/radsafe/
> >
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com
>
> ************************************************************************
> You are currently subscribed to the Radsafe mailing list. To unsubscribe,
> send an e-mail to Majordomo@list.vanderbilt.edu Put the text "unsubscribe
> radsafe" (no quote marks) in the body of the e-mail, with no subject line. You can view the Radsafe archives at http://www.vanderbilt.edu/radsafe/
--
Thomas Mohaupt, M.S., CHP
University Radiation Safety Officer
104 Health Sciences Bldg
Wright State University
Dayton, Ohio 45435
tom.mohaupt@wright.edu
(937) 775-2169
(937) 775-3761 (fax)
"An investment in knowledge gains the best interest." Ben Franklin
************************************************************************
You are currently subscribed to the Radsafe mailing list. To unsubscribe,
send an e-mail to Majordomo@list.vanderbilt.edu Put the text "unsubscribe
radsafe" (no quote marks) in the body of the e-mail, with no subject line. You can view the Radsafe archives at http://www.vanderbilt.edu/radsafe/