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Table 2 Observed deaths and SMRs for selected causes of deatha, stratified by gender and plant, 1940–1998.b

From: Update: cohort mortality study of workers highly exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) during the manufacture of electrical capacitors, 1940-1998

Underlying cause of death (ICD-9) Combined plants Plant 1 Plant 2
  Total Men Women       
  O SMR 95% CI O SMR 95% CI O SMR 95% CI O SMR 95% CI O SMR 95% CI
All deaths 798 0.99 0.92 – 1.06 355 0.97 0.88 – 1.08 443 1.00 0.91 – 1.09 310 0.95 0.85 – 1.07 488 1.01 0.92 – 1.10
All cancers (140–208) 218 1.01 0.88 – 1.15 78 0.87 0.69 – 1.09 140 1.11 0.93 – 1.31 71 0.82 0.64 – 1.03 147 1.14 0.96 – 1.34
MN of buccal cavity and pharynx (140–149) 4 1.04 0.28 – 2.67 2 0.89 0.11 – 3.20 2 1.27 0.15 – 4.59 3 1.75 0.36 – 5.11 1 0.47 0.01 – 2.63
MN digestive system and peritoneum (150-159) 63 1.24 0.95 – 1.59 17 0.78 0.45 – 1.25 46 1.59 1.16 – 2.12 18 0.88 0.52 – 1.38 45 1.49 1.09 – 2.00
   MN of esophagus (150) 2 0.55 0.07 – 2.00 0    2 1.67 0.20 – 6.03 0    2 1.03 0.12 – 3.72
   MN of stomach (151) 5 0.84 0.27 – 1.97 4 1.35 0.37 – 3.45 1 0.34 0.01 – 1.87 0    5 1.46 0.47 – 3.40
   MN of intestine, excluding rectum (152–153) 27 1.32 0.87 – 1.93 3 0.39 0.08 – 1.14 24 1.89 1.21 – 2.82 8 1.00 0.43 – 1.97 19 1.53 0.92 – 2.40
   MN of rectum (154) 6 1.47 0.54 – 3.21 2 1.12 0.14 – 4.06 4 1.75 0.48 – 4.46 1 0.60 0.02 – 3.34 5 2.08 0.67 – 4.85
   MN of biliary passages, liver and gall bladder (155–156) 11 2.11 1.05 – 3.77 4 1.86 0.51 – 4.77 7 2.28 0.92 – 4.69 4 1.92 0.52 – 4.92 7 2.23 0.90 – 4.59
   MN of pancreas (157) 12 1.13 0.59 – 1.98 4 0.91 0.25 – 2.32 8 1.30 0.56 – 2.56 5 1.17 0.38 – 2.73 7 1.11 0.45 – 2.29
MN respiratory system (160–165) 60 1.03 0.79 – 1.33 30 0.90 0.61 – 1.28 30 1.21 0.82 – 1.73 25 0.95 0.62 – 1.41 35 1.10 0.76 – 1.53
   MN of trachea, bronchus, and lung (162) 55 0.98 0.74 – 1.28 27 0.85 0.56 – 1.23 28 1.16 0.77 – 1.68 22 0.87 0.55 – 1.32 33 1.07 0.74 – 1.51
MN of breast (174–175) 15 0.59 0.33 – 0.98 0    15 0.60 0.33 – 0.98 2 0.27 0.03 – 0.97 13 0.73 0.39 – 1.25
MN of female genital organs (179–184) 21 1.29 0.80 – 1.97     21 1.29 0.80 – 1.97 5 1.07 0.35 – 2.50 16 1.38 0.79 – 2.24
   MN of cervix uteri (180) 5 1.32 0.43 – 3.09     5 1.32 0.43 – 3.09 2 1.93 0.23 – 6.97 3 1.09 0.23 – 3.19
   MN of other and unspecified parts of the uterus (179, 181, 182) 7 1.87 0.75 – 3.84     7 1.87 0.75 – 3.84 3 2.82 0.58 – 8.25 4 1.49 0.41 – 3.80
   MN of ovary, fallopian tube, and broad ligament (183) 9 1.10 0.50 – 2.08     9 1.10 0.50 – 2.08 0    9 1.56 0.71 – 2.96
MN of prostate (185) 7 1.14 0.46 – 2.35 7 1.14 0.46 – 2.35     5 1.39 0.45 – 3.25 2 0.79 0.10 – 2.85
MN urinary organs (188–189) 12 1.50 0.77 – 2.62 8 1.80 0.77 – 3.54 4 1.12 0.31 – 2.88 4 1.13 0.31 – 2.88 8 1.79 0.77 – 3.54
   MN of kidney (189.0–189.2) 8 1.82 0.79 – 3.60 5 2.12 0.69 – 4.96 3 1.48 0.30 – 4.32 2 1.05 0.13 – 3.80 6 2.42 0.88 – 5.26
   MN of bladder and other urinary organs (188, 189.3–189.9) 4 1.10 0.30 – 2.82 3 1.43 0.29 – 4.18 1 0.66 0.02 – 3.64 2 1.21 0.15 – 4.37 2 1.01 0.12 – 3.65
MN of skin (172–173) 2 0.52 0.06 – 1.87 2 0.92 0.11 – 3.33 0    1 0.61 0.02 – 3.39 1 0.45 0.01 – 2.50
   Melanoma (173)c 1 0.34 0.01 – 1.87 1 0.60 0.02 – 3.35 0    1 0.80 0.02 – 4.45 0   
MN of brain (191, 192) 3 0.50 0.10 – 1.47 2 0.70 0.08 – 2.53 1 0.32 0.01 – 1.80 2 0.82 0.10 – 2.96 1 0.28 0.01 – 1.58
MN of other and unspecified sites (194–199) 9 0.62 0.28 – 1.18 3 0.50 0.10 – 1.46 6 0.71 0.26 – 1.55 2 0.35 0.04 – 1.25 7 0.81 0.32 – 1.66
Neoplasms of lymphatic and hematopoietic tissue (200–208) 22 1.09 0.68 – 1.65 7 0.77 0.31 – 1.60 15 1.35 0.76 – 2.23 4 0.49 0.13 – 1.26 18 1.50 0.89 – 2.37
   Leukemia and aleukemia (204–208) 4 0.53 0.14 – 1.36 2 0.57 0.07 – 2.07 2 0.50 0.06 – 1.79 0    4 0.90 0.24 – 2.29
   Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (200, 202)c 10 1.31 0.63 – 2.41 2 0.60 0.07 – 2.18 8 1.86 0.80 – 3.66 1 0.32 0.01 – 1.80 9 1.98 0.91 – 3.77
   Myeloma (203)c 7 2.11 0.84 – 4.34 3 2.22 0.46 – 6.50 4 2.03 0.55 – 5.19 3 2.25 0.46 – 6.59 4 2.01 0.55 – 5.14
Diabetes mellitus (250) 16 0.88 0.50 – 1.43 4 0.63 0.17 – 1.61 12 1.02 0.53 – 1.78 5 0.73 0.24 – 1.72 11 0.97 0.48 – 1.74
Diseases of the nervous system and sense organs (320–389) 18 1.37 0.81 – 2.17 2 0.40 0.05 – 1.44 16 1.97 1.13 – 3.20 9 1.78 0.81 – 3.38 9 1.12 0.51 – 2.12
   Other diseases of the nervous system and sense organs (320–337, 341–389) 16 1.35 0.77 – 2.19 1 0.22 0.01 – 1.21 15 2.07 1.16 – 3.42 8 1.75 0.75 – 3.44 8 1.10 0.47 – 2.17
Diseases of the heart (390–398, 402, 404, 410–414, 420–429) 286 1.06 0.94 – 1.19 150 1.17 0.99 – 1.38 136 0.96 0.81 – 1.14 120 1.08 0.89 – 1.29 166 1.05 0.90 – 1.22
   Ischemic heart disease (410–414) 224 1.12 0.98 – 1.28 120 1.20 0.99 – 1.43 104 1.04 0.85 – 1.26 93 1.10 0.88 – 1.34 131 1.14 0.95 – 1.35
   Hypertension with heart disease (402, 404) 4 0.46 0.13 – 1.18 1 0.33 0.01 – 1.85 3 0.53 0.11 – 1.55 1 0.32 0.01 – 1.77 3 0.54 0.11 – 1.59
   Other diseases of the heart (420–423, 425–428, 429.2–429.9) 42 0.87 0.62 – 1.17 20 0.98 0.60 – 1.51 22 0.79 0.49 – 1.19 20 1.06 0.65 – 1.64 22 0.74 0.47 – 1.13
Other diseases of the circulatory system (401, 403, 405, 415–417, 430–459) 82 1.07 0.85 – 1.33 27 1.03 0.68 – 1.49 55 1.10 0.83 – 1.43 29 1.02 0.68 – 1.46 53 1.10 0.83 – 1.44
Diseases of the respiratory system (460–519) 46 0.79 0.58 – 1.05 19 0.76 0.46 – 1.19 27 0.81 0.53 – 1.18 21 0.88 0.54 – 1.34 25 0.73 0.47 – 1.07
   Chronic and unspecified bronchitis (490, 491) 3 1.97 0.41 – 5.76 1 1.43 0.04 – 7.97 2 2.42 0.29 – 8.74 1 1.54 0.04 – 8.56 2 2.29 0.28 – 8.26
   Emphysema (492) 8 1.15 0.50 – 2.28 4 1.10 0.30 – 2.81 4 1.22 0.33 – 3.11 5 1.59 0.51 – 3.71 3 0.79 0.16 – 2.32
   Pneumoconiosis and other respiratory diseases (470–478, 494–519) 20 0.74 0.45 – 1.14 9 0.74 0.34 – 1.41 11 0.73 0.37 – 1.31 10 0.87 0.42 – 1.61 10 0.64 0.31 – 1.18
Diseases of the digestive system (520–579) 29 0.80 0.54 – 1.15 14 0.82 0.45 – 1.38 15 0.78 0.44 – 1.29 6 0.41 0.15 – 0.89 23 1.07 0.68 – 1.60
   Cirrhosis of the liver (571) 17 1.02 0.59 – 1.63 10 1.06 0.51 – 1.95 7 0.96 0.39 – 1.99 4 0.56 0.15 – 1.42 13 1.37 0.73 – 2.34
Diseases of the genitourinary system (580–629) 13 1.04 0.55 – 1.78 5 1.15 0.37 – 2.69 8 0.98 0.42 – 1.93 2 0.43 0.05 – 1.56 11 1.39 0.69 – 2.49
Accidents (E800-E949) 31 0.75 0.51 – 1.06 19 0.67 0.40 – 1.05 12 0.91 0.47 – 1.60 18 1.07 0.63 – 1.69 13 0.53 0.28 – 0.91
Suicide (E950-E959) 20 1.37 0.83 – 2.11 14 1.36 0.74 – 2.28 6 1.39 0.51 – 3.02 12 1.90 0.98 – 3.32 8 0.96 0.41 – 1.90
Homicide (E960-E978) 4 0.74 0.20 – 1.90 4 1.00 0.27 – 2.56 0    2 0.95 0.11 – 3.42 2 0.61 0.07 – 2.21
Unknown cause of death 11    7    4    5    6   
Other 8 0.40 0.17 – 0.79 5 0.55 0.18 – 1.28 3 0.28 0.06 – 0.81 1 0.14 0.00 – 0.75 7 0.56 0.22 – 1.15
  1. Abbreviations: ICD-9: International Classification of Disease s, Ninth Revision; O: observed number of deaths; SMR: standardized mortality ratio based on U.S. referent rates; CI: confidence interval; MN: malignant neoplasm.
  2. a Categories omitted from the table include tuberculosis (ICD-9 = 010–018, 2 deaths), benign and unspecified neoplasms (ICD-9 = 210–239, 2 deaths), diseases of the blood and blood forming organs (ICD-9 = 280–289, 4 deaths), mental, psychoneurotic, and personality disorders (ICD-9 = 290–319, 2 deaths), diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (ICD-9 = 680–709, 1 death), musculoskeletal diseases (ICD-9 = 710–739, 1 death), and symptoms and ill-defined conditions (ICD-9 = 780–796, 798, 799, 4 deaths).
  3. b Person-years at risk and observed deaths among 2572 workers in jobs with potential for the highest, most direct exposure to PCBs began accruing in 1940.
  4. c Person-years at risk and observed deaths began accruing in 1960 for melanoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and myeloma due to rate file restrictions.
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Environmental Health

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