Ten-year coronary mortality of workers exposed to carbon disulfide

Abstract

Two cohorts, one comprising 343 viscose rayon workers exposed for at least five fyears to carbon disulfide (CS2) and the other made up of 343 nonexposed men, were followed from 1967 to 1977 with respect to coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality. In the examination in 1967 known risk factors of CHD were controlled; only blood pressure was slightly higher in the exposed group. The difference was considered a result of exposure. Five exposed and eight nonexposed men had experienced a previous clinical myocardial infarction. The total mortality was 48 (14%) in the exposed group and 31 (9%) in the compeer group (p ≃ 0.05); 29 exposed and 11 nonexposed men had died from CHD (p < 0.01), and 5 exposed and 1 nonexposed from other cardiovascular causes (p = 0.1). All coronary deaths occurred in the age interval 40 to 69 years. The estimated risk of death from CHD for this 3-year age span, assuming no competing risks of death, was 31.9% for the exposed cohort against 13.3% for the compeers. A multivariate analysis yielded age, raised blood pressure, and exposure to CS2 as prominent risk factors. The contributory risk caused by past occupational CS2 exposure seemed to increase the already notoriously high risk of CHD mortality among Finnish men.