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Cited by 96

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Workplace Exposures and the Risk of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Fang, Fang, Quinlan, Patricia, Ye, Weimin, Barber, Marie K., Umbach, David M., Sandler, Dale P., Kamel, Freya·2009·Environmental Health Perspectives
DOI 10.1289/ehp.0900580PMC PMC2737014
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Abstract

Background: Occupation has been suggested to play a role in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) etiology, but detailed information on the importance of specific workplace exposures is lacking. Objectives: Our aim was to assess the relationship between workplace exposures and the risk of ALS and to evaluate potential interactions between these exposures and smoking. Methods: We conducted a case–control study in New England between 1993 and 1996, comprising 109 cases and 253 controls who completed a structured interview covering occupations and workplace exposures. Unconditional logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for ALS. Analyses were conducted among the entire study population and after stratification by smoking. Results: We observed a higher risk of ALS for construction workers excluding supervisors (OR = 2.9; 95% CI, 1.2–7.2) and precision metal workers (OR = 3.5; 95% CI, 1.2–10.5). Self-reported exposures to paint strippers; cutting, cooling, or lubricating oils; antifreeze or coolants; mineral or white spirits; and dry cleaning agents each appeared to be associated with a 60–90% higher risk. Specific chemicals related to a > 50% increase in risk of ALS included aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons, glycols, glycol ethers, and hexane. Relative risks associated with these workplace exposures and chemicals were greater among nonsmokers and persisted in mutually adjusted models. Conclusions: Our data suggest that certain occupations and workplace exposures may be associated with increased risk of ALS. These results need to be confirmed in independent populations.

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Metadata

Authors
Fang, F., Quinlan, P., Ye, W., Barber, M. K., Umbach, D. M., Sandler, D. P., & Kamel, F.
Affiliations
  • Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
  • Department of Medicine, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
  • Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
  • Westat, Durham, North Carolina, USA
  • Biostatistics Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
Venue
Environmental Health Perspectives
Publisher
American Chemical Society (ACS)
Published
2009-05-11
Volume
117
Issue
9
Pages
1387-1392
ISSN
  • 0091-6765
  • 1552-9924
DOI
10.1289/ehp.0900580
PMC
PMC2737014
Cited by
96
References
1
Language
en
Licence
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (vor, 3154 d)

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CoChat. (2026). Citation check: Workplace Exposures and the Risk of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. https://app.cochat.ai/papers/10.1289/ehp.0900580
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Fang, F., Quinlan, P., Ye, W., Barber, M. K., Umbach, D. M., Sandler, D. P., & Kamel, F. (2009). Workplace Exposures and the Risk of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Environmental Health Perspectives. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.0900580

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