Journal article
A prospective study of respiratory symptoms associated with chronic arsenic exposure in Bangladesh: findings from the Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study (HEALS)
Thorax, v 65(6), pp 528-533
Jun 2010
PMID: 20522851
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Background and aimsA prospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate the effect of arsenic (As) exposure from drinking water on respiratory symptoms using data from the Health Effects of Arsenic Exposure Longitudinal Study (HEALS), a large prospective cohort study established in Ariahazar, Bangladesh in 2000–2002. A total of 7.31, 9.95 and 2.03% of the 11 746 participants completing 4 years of active follow-up reported having a chronic cough, breathing problem or blood in their sputum, respectively, as assessed by trained physicians.MethodsCox regression models were used to estimate HRs for respiratory symptoms during the follow-up period in relation to levels of chronic As exposure assessed at baseline, adjusting for age, gender, smoking, body mass index, education and arsenic-related skin lesion status.ResultsSignificant positive associations were found between As exposure and respiratory symptoms. As compared with those with the lowest quintile of water As level (≤7 μg/l), the HRs for having respiratory symptoms were 1.27 (95% CI 1.09 to 1.48), 1.39 (95% CI 1.19 to 1.63), 1.43 (95% CI 1.23 to 1.68) and 1.43 (95% CI 1.22 to 1.68) for the second to fifth quintiles of baseline water As concentrations (7–40, 40–90, 90–178 and >178 μg/l), respectively. Similarly, the corresponding HRs in relation to the second to fifth quintiles of urinary arsenic were 1.10 (95% CI 0.94 to 1.27), 1.11 (95% CI 0.95 to 1.29), 1.29 (95% CI 1.11 to 1.49) and 1.35 (95% CI 1.16 to 1.56), respectively. These associations did not differ appreciably by cigarette smoking status.ConclusionsThis prospective cohort study found a dose–response relationship between As exposure and clinical symptoms of respiratory diseases in Bangladesh. In particular, these adverse respiratory effects of As were clearly evident in the low to moderate dose range, suggesting that a large proportion of the country's population may be at risk of developing serious lung diseases in the future.
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Details
- Title
- A prospective study of respiratory symptoms associated with chronic arsenic exposure in Bangladesh: findings from the Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study (HEALS)
- Creators
- Faruque Parvez - Columbia UniversityYu Chen - New York UniversityPaul W Brandt-Rauf - Columbia UniversityVesna Slavkovich - Columbia UniversityTariqul Islam - Columbia UniversityAlauddin Ahmed - Columbia UniversityMaria Argos - University of ChicagoRabiul Hassan - Columbia UniversityMahbub Yunus - Columbia UniversitySyed E Haque - Columbia UniversityOlgica Balac - Columbia UniversityJoseph H Graziano - Columbia UniversityHabibul Ahsan - University of Chicago
- Publication Details
- Thorax, v 65(6), pp 528-533
- Publisher
- British Medical Journal (BMJ)
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems; Drexel University
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000278354000015
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-77953699322
- Other Identifier
- 991019323775004721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Respiratory System