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Table 3 Adjusteda odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the risk of glioma and exposure to each of the 5 metals and welding fumes for a duration ≥1 year, a lag of 5 years and P ≥ 25%

From: Lifetime occupational exposure to metals and welding fumes, and risk of glioma: a 7-country population-based case–control study

Exposure

Glioma cases

Controls

OR (95% CI)

n (%)

n (%)

Cadmium

 Non-exposed

1741 (96.7)

5039 (97.7)

1.0 (Ref)

 Cumulative exposure

40 (2.2)

90 (1.7)

1.1 (0.7–1.6)

   ≤ 111.4 μg/m3

12 (0.7)

30 (0.6)

1.0 (0.5–1.9)

   > 111.4 to ≤343.8 μg/m3

19 (1.1)

31 (0.6)

1.6 (0.9–2.8)

   > 343.8 μg/m3

9 (0.5)

29 (0.6)

0.7 (0.3–1.5)

 Duration of exposure

  1–4 years

20 (1.1)

44 (0.9)

1.1 (0.6–1.8)

  5–9 years

10 (0.6)

19 (0.4)

1.4 (0.6–3.3)

   ≥ 10 years

10 (0.6)

27 (0.5)

0.8 (0.4–1.8)

 Restricted to males

31 (2.8)

56 (2.4)

1.1 (0.7–1.8)

 High grade cases

25 (2.0)

90 (1.7)

0.9 (0.6–1.5)

 Glioblastomas

18 (2.1)

90 (1.7)

0.9 (0.5–1.5)

 Self-respondents

38 (2.5)

89 (1.7)

1.1 (0.7–1.7)

Chromium

 Non-exposed

1508 (83.8)

4535 (87.9)

1.0 (Ref)

 Cumulative exposure

178 (9.9)

359 (7.0)

0.9 (0.7–1.1)

   ≤ 445.5 μg/m3

61 (3.4)

121 (2.3)

0.9 (0.6–1.3)

   > 445.5 to ≤3000 μg/m3

57 (3.2)

119 (2.3)

0.9 (0.6–1.3)

   > 3000 μg/m3

60 (3.3)

119 (2.3)

0.9 (0.6–1.3)

 Duration of exposure

  1–4 years

41 (2.3)

95 (1.8)

0.9 (0.6–1.3)

  5–9 years

36 (2.0)

81 (1.6)

0.8 (0.5–1.2)

   ≥ 10 years

101 (5.6)

183 (3.5)

1.0 (0.8–1.4)

 Restricted to males

175 (15.7)

337 (14.6)

0.9 (0.7–1.2)

 High grade cases

124 (9.9)

359 (7.0)

0.9 (0.7–1.2)

 Glioblastomas

83 (9.8)

359 (7.0)

0.8 (0.6–1.1)

 Self-respondents

150 (9.7)

358 (7.0)

0.9 (0.7–1.1)

Iron

 Non-exposed

1546 (85.9)

4604 (89.2)

1.0 (Ref)

 Cumulative exposure

244 (13.6)

528 (10.2)

0.9 (0.7–1.1)

   ≤ 70 mg/m3

64 (3.6)

181 (3.5)

0.7 (0.5–1.0)

   > 70 to ≤254.3 mg/m3

81 (4.5)

171 (3.3)

0.9 (0.7–1.2)

   > 254.3 mg/m3

99 (5.5)

176 (3.4)

1.1 (0.8–1.5)

 Duration of exposure

  1–4 years

52 (2.9)

139 (2.7)

0.8 (0.6–1.2)

  5–9 years

57 (3.2)

116 (2.2)

0.9 (0.6–1.3)

   ≥ 10 years

135 (7.5)

273 (5.3)

0.9 (0.7–1.2)

 Restricted to males

237 (21.2)

493 (21.4)

0.9 (0.7–1.1)

 High grade cases

181 (14.5)

528 (10.2)

1.0 (0.8–1.2)

 Glioblastomas

125 (14.7)

528 (10.2)

1.2 (0.4–3.2)

 Self-respondents

211 (13.7)

527 (10.3)

0.9 (0.7–1.1)

Lead

 Non-exposed

1419 (78.8)

4296 (83.3)

1.0 (Ref)

 Cumulative exposure

159 (8.8)

387 (7.5)

0.8 (0.7–1.0)

   ≤ 128.8 μmol/l (in blood)

45 (2.5)

128 (2.5)

0.8 (0.6–1.2)

   > 128.8 to ≤413.2 μmol/l (in blood)

47 (2.6)

131 (2.5)

0.7 (0.5–1.0)

   > 413.2 μmol/l (in blood)

67 (3.7)

128 (2.5)

1.0 (0.7–1.3)

 Duration of exposure

  1–4 years

58 (3.2)

140 (2.7)

1.0 (0.7–1.4)

  5–9 years

32 (1.8)

81 (1.6)

0.7 (0.4–1.1)

   ≥ 10 years

69 (3.8)

166 (3.2)

0.8 (0.6–1.1)

 Restricted to males

151 (13.5)

321 (13.9)

0.9 (0.7–1.1)

 High grade cases

121 (9.7)

387 (7.5)

0.9 (0.7–1.2)

 Glioblastomas

85 (10.0)

387 (7.5)

0.9 (0.7–1.2)

 Self-respondents

135 (8.7)

387 (7.5)

0.8 (0.7–1.0)

Nickel

 Non-exposed

1534 (85.2)

4585 (88.9)

1.0 (Ref)

 Cumulative exposure

215 (11.9)

444 (8.6)

0.9 (0.8–1.1)

   ≤ 317.2 μg/m3

55 (3.1)

149 (2.9)

0.8 (0.5–1.1)

   > 317.2 to ≤951.3 μg/m3

72 (4.0)

148 (2.9)

0.9 (0.7–1.3)

   > 951.3 μg/m3

88 (4.9)

147 (2.8)

1.1 (0.8–1.5)

 Duration of exposure

  1–4 years

46 (2.6)

128 (2.5)

0.8 (0.5–1.1)

  5–9 years

51 (2.8)

104 (2.0)

0.9 (0.6–1.3)

   ≥ 10 years

118 (6.6)

212 (4.1)

1.0 (0.8–1.3)

 Restricted to males

209 (18.7)

410 (17.8)

0.9 (0.8–1.2)

 High grade cases

155 (12.4)

444 (8.6)

1.0 (0.8–1.2)

 Glioblastomas

107 (12.6)

444 (8.6)

0.9 (0.7–1.2)

 Self-respondents

184 (11.9)

443 (8.6)

0.9 (0.8–1.1)

Welding fumes

 Non-exposed

1546 (85.9)

4606 (89.3)

1.0 (Ref)

 Cumulative exposure

182 (10.1)

388 (7.5)

0.9 (0.7–1.1)

   ≤ 180 mg/m3

63 (3.5)

136 (2.6)

0.9 (0.6–1.2)

   > 180 to ≤684 mg/m3

54 (3.0)

123 (2.4)

0.8 (0.6–1.2)

   > 684 mg/m3

65 (3.6)

129 (2.5)

1.0 (0.7–1.4)

 Duration of exposure

  1–4 years

44 (2.4)

110 (2.1)

0.8 (0.6–1.2)

  5–9 years

39 (2.2)

77 (1.5)

0.9 (0.6–1.4)

   ≥ 10 years

99 (5.5)

201 (3.9)

0.9 (0.7–1.2)

 Restricted to males

178 (15.9)

375 (16.2)

0.9 (0.7–1.1)

 High grade cases

131 (10.5)

388 (7.5)

0.9 (0.7–1.2)

 Glioblastomas

95 (11.2)

388 (7.5)

0.9 (0.7–1.2)

 Self-respondents

157 (10.2)

388 (7.6)

0.9 (0.7–1.1)

  1. aAdjusted for age, educational level, occupational prestige, atopy, and respondent status