Cohort study of art glass workers in Tuscany, Italy: mortality from non-malignant diseases

This investigation studies cause-specific mortality of art glass workers em ployed in 17 industrial facilities in Tuscany, Italy. A cohort of 3,390 wor kers employed for at least 1 year was enumerated from company payrolls. Fol low-up was between the start of employment in each factory and 31 December 1993. The cause-specific expected mortality was computed relative to Tuscan y rates and specified for gender, 5-year age groups and calendar year. Sepa rate analyses were carried cut for the jobs of makers and formers and for b atch mixers. Among males (3,180 individuals) observed mortality for non-can cer causes was higher than expected for hypertensive disease [standardized mortality ratio (SMR) = 178, 90% confidence interval (90% Cl) = 96-301], pn eumoconiosis (SMR = 200, 90% CI = 94-376) and diseases of the genitourinary system (SMR = 169, 90% CI = 95-279). Increases for the above causes were s hown also among makers and formers: hypertensive disease (SMR = 182, 90% CI = 85-341), pneumoconiosis (SMR = 250, 90% CI = 109-493) and diseases of th e genitourinary system (SMR = 224, 90% CI = 121-330). For batch mixers an i ncrease was present for cerebrovascular disease. The observed mortality for cancer causes was above the expected for cancers of the larynx, lung, stom ach and brain. This study points to the existence for Tuscan glass workers of health effects in addition to cancer; previously observed carcinogenic e ffects were also confirmed.