Serum dioxin and hepatic abnormalities in veterans of operation ranch hand

Citation
Je. Michalek et al., Serum dioxin and hepatic abnormalities in veterans of operation ranch hand, ANN EPIDEMI, 11(5), 2001, pp. 304-311
Citations number
39
Categorie Soggetti
Envirnomentale Medicine & Public Health
Journal title
ANNALS OF EPIDEMIOLOGY
ISSN journal
10472797 → ACNP
Volume
11
Issue
5
Year of publication
2001
Pages
304 - 311
Database
ISI
SICI code
1047-2797(200107)11:5<304:SDAHAI>2.0.ZU;2-H
Abstract
PURPOSE: We studied hepatic abnormalities and indices of hepatic function i n relation to exposure to 2,3,7,8- tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (dioxin) in veterans of Operation Ranch Hand, the Air Force unit responsible for the ae rial spraying of herbicides in Vietnam from 1962 to 1971. METHODS: The prevalence of ever having liver disease through March 1993, an d level of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, gamma -glu tamyltransferase (GGT), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), alkaline phosphatase, a nd total bilirubin were examined according to serum dioxin levels. RESULTS: We found an increased risk of "other liver disorders" among vetera ns with the highest dioxin levels [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.6, 95% conf idence interval (CI) 1.2 to 2.1], due primarily to increased transaminases or LDH (adjusted OR = 2.7, 95% CI 1.4 to 5.1) and to other nonspecific live r abnormalities (adjusted OR = 1.4, 95% CI 1.0 to 2.0). CONCLUSIONS: Whether the associations observed were causal is unclear from these data. Ann Epidemiol 2001;11:304-311. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. A ll rights reserved.