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Original investigation: Epidemiologic Study of the Autoimmune Health Effects of a Cargo Aircraft Disaster

AuteurP.Slottje, J.Bijlsma, AMA
6-05-5-10-27.pdf
Datum2005
Classificatie 6.05.5.10/27 (VERARMD URANIUM - CIVIEL - BIJLMER)
Voorkant

Uit de publicatie:

                                                 ORIGINAL INVESTIGATION


Epidemiologic Study of the Autoimmune
Health Effects of a Cargo Aircraft Disaster
Pauline Slottje, MSc; Joost A. Bijlsma, MD, PhD; Nynke Smidt, PhD; Jos W. R. Twisk, PhD;
Anja C. Huizink, PhD; Willem F. Lems, MD, PhD; Ingrid van Hoogstraten, PhD;
Anke B. Witteveen, MSc; Willem van Mechelen, MD, PhD; Tjabe Smid, PhD




Background: In the aftermath of a cargo aircraft crash                 Results: Compared with nonexposed colleagues, ex-
in Amsterdam in 1992, indications of autoimmune dis-                   posed workers reported significantly more autoimmune-
orders appeared in some of the affected population.                    like symptoms. They reported the following symptoms sig-
                                                                       nificantly more often: tingling sensations, myalgia, loss of
Methods: This epidemiologic study sought to deter-                     strength, easily fatigued, and a feeling of sand in the eyes
mine the possible long-term autoimmune health effects                  (all groups); infection proneness (firefighters); skin ab-
of the aircraft disaster on professional assistance work-              normalities and nocturnal transpiration (police officers and
ers. Exposed professional firefighters (n = 334) and                   hangar workers); and vasculitis-like symptoms and
police officers (n = 834) who performed at least 1                     Raynaud discoloring (police officers). In contrast, we found
disaster-related task and hangar workers who sorted                    no significant difference between exposed and nonex-
and investigated the wreckage (n=241) were compared                    posed workers in autoantibody prevalence.
with reference groups of nonexposed colleagues who
did not perform any disaster-related tasks (n = 194,                   Conclusion: Occupational exposure to the aircraft di-
n=634, and n=104, respectively). Data were collected a