Respiratory disease mortality among US coal miners; results after 37 years of follow-up.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To evaluate respiratory related mortality among underground coal miners after 37 years of follow-up.

Methods

Underlying cause of death for 9033 underground coal miners from 31 US mines enrolled between 1969 and 1971 was evaluated with life table analysis. Cox proportional hazards models were fitted to evaluate the exposure-response relationships between cumulative exposure to coal mine dust and respirable silica and mortality from pneumoconiosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer.

Results

Excess mortality was observed for pneumoconiosis (SMR=79.70, 95% CI 72.1 to 87.67), COPD (SMR=1.11, 95% CI 0.99 to 1.24) and lung cancer (SMR=1.08; 95% CI 1.00 to 1.18). Coal mine dust exposure increased risk for mortality from pneumoconiosis and

SUBMITTER: Graber JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4522914 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature