Leukemia among nuclear workers with protracted exposure to low-dose ionizing radiation. 1991

G S Wilkinson, and N A Dreyer
Epidemiology Resources Inc., Chestnut Hill, MA.

We conducted an analysis of leukemia mortality and protracted exposure to low-dose ionizing radiation. We used data from seven published epidemiologic studies of nuclear workers that reported individual monitoring information for radiation exposure. We found 83 leukemia deaths among white males from a combined total of more than 1.4 million person-years. We calculated an overall relative risk for leukemia of 1.5, after adjustment for age and calendar time, for workers with cumulative occupational doses of 10 mSv (1 rem) or greater, compared with those with cumulative doses of less than 10 mSv. An adjusted relative risk of 1.8 was observed when individuals with 10-50 mSv (1-5 rem) were compared with those who had cumulative occupational doses of less than 10 mSv. The adjusted relative risk for those with doses greater than 50 mSv relative to those with doses less than 10 mSv was 1.2, although the data were especially sparse in this dose range. These combined data indicate a small elevated risk of leukemia for doses of ionizing radiation under 50 mSv.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007953 Leukemia, Radiation-Induced Leukemia produced by exposure to IONIZING RADIATION or NON-IONIZING RADIATION. Radiation-Induced Leukemia,Leukemia, Radiation Induced,Leukemias, Radiation-Induced,Radiation Induced Leukemia,Radiation-Induced Leukemias
D008297 Male Males
D009688 Nuclear Reactors Devices containing fissionable material in sufficient quantity and so arranged as to be capable of maintaining a controlled, self-sustaining NUCLEAR FISSION chain reaction. They are also known as atomic piles, atomic reactors, fission reactors, and nuclear piles, although such names are deprecated. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed) Nuclear Reactor,Reactor, Nuclear,Reactors, Nuclear
D011829 Radiation Dosage The amount of radiation energy that is deposited in a unit mass of material, such as tissues of plants or animal. In RADIOTHERAPY, radiation dosage is expressed in gray units (Gy). In RADIOLOGIC HEALTH, the dosage is expressed by the product of absorbed dose (Gy) and quality factor (a function of linear energy transfer), and is called radiation dose equivalent in sievert units (Sv). Sievert Units,Dosage, Radiation,Gray Units,Gy Radiation,Sv Radiation Dose Equivalent,Dosages, Radiation,Radiation Dosages,Units, Gray,Units, Sievert
D011839 Radiation, Ionizing ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION or particle radiation (high energy ELEMENTARY PARTICLES) capable of directly or indirectly producing IONS in its passage through matter. The wavelengths of ionizing electromagnetic radiation are equal to or smaller than those of short (far) ultraviolet radiation and include gamma and X-rays. Ionizing Radiation,Ionizing Radiations,Radiations, Ionizing
D005500 Follow-Up Studies Studies in which individuals or populations are followed to assess the outcome of exposures, procedures, or effects of a characteristic, e.g., occurrence of disease. Followup Studies,Follow Up Studies,Follow-Up Study,Followup Study,Studies, Follow-Up,Studies, Followup,Study, Follow-Up,Study, Followup
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012307 Risk Factors An aspect of personal behavior or lifestyle, environmental exposure, inborn or inherited characteristic, which, based on epidemiological evidence, is known to be associated with a health-related condition considered important to prevent. Health Correlates,Risk Factor Scores,Risk Scores,Social Risk Factors,Population at Risk,Populations at Risk,Correlates, Health,Factor, Risk,Factor, Social Risk,Factors, Social Risk,Risk Factor,Risk Factor Score,Risk Factor, Social,Risk Factors, Social,Risk Score,Score, Risk,Score, Risk Factor,Social Risk Factor
D014481 United States A country in NORTH AMERICA between CANADA and MEXICO.
D015201 Meta-Analysis as Topic A quantitative method of combining the results of independent studies (usually drawn from the published literature) and synthesizing summaries and conclusions which may be used to evaluate therapeutic effectiveness, plan new studies, etc., with application chiefly in the areas of research and medicine. Clinical Trial Overviews,Data Pooling,Overviews, Clinical Trial,Clinical Trial Overview,Data Poolings,Meta Analysis as Topic,Overview, Clinical Trial

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