Eight-year follow-up of viscose rayon workers exposed to carbon disulfide

Abstract

An 8-year follow-up of workers exposed for at least 5 years to carbon disulfide showed an excess of deaths due to coronary heart disease in reference to a comparison cohort. However, after effective preventive measures, e.g., leaving only 19% of the original group exposed and reducing the level of exposure to less than 10 ppm, had been undertaken after the 5th year of follow-up, coronary mortality decreased and no excess mortality during the last 3 years of follow-up occurred. These results, although only suggestive -- due to the small number of deaths and the short time of follow-up after the intervention -- seem promising from the point of view of improving the prognosis of workers who have already accumulated an excess risk for coronary death.