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. 2018 Nov;61(11):901-910.
doi: 10.1002/ajim.22912. Epub 2018 Oct 6.

Decision rule approach applied to estimate occupational lead exposure in a case-control study of kidney cancer

Catherine L Callahan  1 , Sarah J Locke  1 , Pamela J Dopart  1 , Patricia A Stewart  2 , Kendra Schwartz  3 , Julie J Ruterbusch  3 , Barry I Graubard  4 , Nathaniel Rothman  1 , Jonathan N Hofmann  1 , Mark P Purdue  1 , Melissa C Friesen  1
Affiliations

Decision rule approach applied to estimate occupational lead exposure in a case-control study of kidney cancer

Catherine L Callahan et al. Am J Ind Med. 2018 Nov.

Abstract

Background: We developed a systematic, data-driven approach to estimate metrics of occupational exposure to lead to aid in epidemiologic analyses in a case-control study of kidney cancer.

Methods: Probability of exposure to ten lead sources was assigned using decision rules developed from an extensive literature review and expert judgement. For jobs with >50% probability of exposure, we assigned source-specific frequency based on subjects' self-reported task frequencies or means of subjects' job-groups and source-specific intensity estimates of blood lead (μg/dL).

Results: In our study, 18.7% of employed person-years were associated with high (≥80%) probability of exposure to any lead source. The most common medium (>50%) or high probability source of lead exposure was leaded gasoline (2.5% and 11.5% of employed person-years, respectively). The median blood lead attributed to occupational exposure was 3.1 μg/dL.

Conclusions: These rules can aid in future studies after population-specific adaption for geographic differences and different exposure scenarios.

Keywords: decision-rules; exposure assessment; lead; occupational exposure; population-based studies.

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Conflict of interest statement

DISCLOSURE (AUTHORS)

P. S. is employed by Stewart Exposure Assessments, LLC (Arlington, VA, USA); the remaining authors declare they have no actual or potential competing financial interests.

DISCLOSURE BY AJIM EDITOR OF RECORD

Rodney Ehrlich declares that he has no conflict of interest in the review and publication decision regarding this article.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Schematic of lead exposure assignment decision process
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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