Re: Japanese atomic bomb survivor study

[John Goldsmith <gjohn@bgumail.bgu.ac.il>]

The "A-Bomb Radiation Effects Digest by Shigematsu et al. from the
Radiation Effects Research Foundation , Bunkodo/Harwood (1993)  says on 
p.32 " A radiation effect on life span due to the development of
non-malignant disease has not been apparent until recent years.  As the
survivors exposed while young have recently reached the age at which adult
diseases such as cardiovascular disease frequently occur, an effect has
been suggested amongst the most heavily exposed (equal to  or more than 2
Gy)"  The accompanying figure shows that during 1966-85 among those less
than 40 years at the time of the bombing, those exposed to 2.5 Gy have 
borderline significant elevation to 1.4 in non-malignant mortality risk,
and those with 5.5Gy have a significant excess risk of 2.5.  The group
with estimated exposure of 3.5 Gy does not show any increase.
                       John R. Goldsmith, M.D., M.P.H.
gjohn@BGUMAIL.bgu.ac.il  Professor of Epidemiology

On Tue, 24 Jun 1997, Shailendra Shukla wrote:

> June 27 issue of Chronicle of Higher Education reports a Japanese 
> study of the bomb survivors that shows, in addition to the cancer 
> incidents, a higher rate of non-cancer effects (cardiovascular, early 
> menopause in women, etc. ) in populations exposed to radiation 
> compared to a control group.  
> 
> Curiously, at least to me, this article does not mention the life 
> expectancies of either group. 
> 
> Any comment from people knowledgeable with this study will be highly 
> enlightening.
> 
> Shailendra Shukla
>