No significant associations between breastfeeding practices and overweight in 8-year-old children.

AIM: The aim was to examine if breastfeeding practices were associated with body mass index (BMI) and risk of overweight or obesity in third grade (8 years) of elementary school. METHODS: In a regional cohort, we related BMI z-scores and presence of overweight or obesity at 8 years of age with ever being breastfed and with duration of exclusive and partial breastfeeding after adjusting for potential confounders. Parents completed questionnaires on breastfeeding and sociodemographic and lifestyle factors at school entry, and public health nurses measured height and weight. For non-participants, the nurses anonymously reported these measurements together with sex and age. RESULTS: 90% of participants had been breastfed. In adjusted analyses, BMI z-scores were not significantly related to whether or not the child had been breastfed (P = .64), or to the duration of exclusive (P = .80) or partial breastfeeding (P = .94). Logistic regression also showed no significant association between breastfeeding measures and overweight or obesity. CONCLUSION: This study on 8-year-old Norwegian children did not support a commonly held notion that breastfeeding reduces the risk of overweight or obesity.

TECLA-an innovative technical approach for prostate cancer registries.

Objective: To present a code-driven, electronic database for patients TrEated with robotic-assisted radiCaL prostAtectomy (TECLA), developed at Innlandet Hospital (IH), Trust, Norway, for research, local quality control and to deliver data to the National Cancer Registry of Norway (CRN). Clinical data are directly extracted from the structured documentation in the electronic medical record (EMR).Materials and methods: The urological department at IH treats about 200 patients with robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) annually. All consenting patients registered with the procedure code for RARP are included in TECLA. Clinical data are obtained automatically from the EMR, by structured forms. Patient-reported outcome and experience measures (PROMs and PREMs) are filled in by the patients on an iPad or a smartphone.Results: The basic construct of TECLA is presented. From August 2017 to June 2018, 200 men were treated with RARP, of which 182 (91%) provided consent for inclusion in the register. Of these, 97% completed the PROM survey before treatment and 91% at 3 months follow-up. PREMs were completed by 78%. All clinical variables for the hospital stay and for the 6-week follow-up were more than 95% complete.Conclusion: This entirely electronic surgical quality register is easy to use, both for patients and clinicians, and has a high capture rate. The data collection is linked to the clinicians' workflow, without double data entry, so entering data does not add any extra work. The register design can be used by other hospitals for various surgical procedures.

Consumption of energy drinks among adolescents in Norway: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Energy drink (ED) consumption is increasing all over the world. We sought to describe the consumption of EDs among adolescents in Norway, and to explore the determinants of daily and high consumption. METHODS: Population-based cross-sectional data were collected from a sample of 31,091 secondary school students in grade 8-13 aged 12-19 years. School grade, residency, socioeconomic status (SES), physical activity and leisure screen time were included in multiple regression analyses, in order to investigate their associations with daily and high (≥four times weekly) ED consumption. RESULTS: 52.3% of the respondents were ED consumers and 3.5% were high consumers. Boys consumed twice as much ED as girls (boys: 36.3 ml/day, girls: 18.5 ml/day, geometric means), and the proportion of male high consumers was 3.7-times higher than that of females. The adjusted odd ratio (OR) of upper secondary school (grades 11-13, ages 15-19) students being high ED consumers were higher than for lower secondary school (grades 8-10, ages 12-15) students (OR 1.1(confidence interval (CI):1.0-1.3)), as well as higher for rural than urban residents (OR 1.3 (CI: 1.1-1.5)). Gradients for the increased ORs of being a high ED consumer were found for decreased SES, decreased frequency of physical activity and increased daily leisure screen time. CONCLUSIONS: More than half of the respondents reported that they were ED consumers. Daily and high consumption were independently associated with male gender, physical inactivity, high leisure screen time, low socioeconomic status and rural residency.

A cross-sectional study to examine the association between self-reported sleep and the frequency, duration and intensity of exercise.

BACKGROUND: Insufficient sleep is associated with increased risk of several health concerns. Although physical activity is generally considered to improve sleep, the influence of different levels of exercise frequency, duration and intensity respectively, has not been sufficiently examined to allow specific recommendations to the general population. Therefore, our aim was to evaluate the association between different levels of the three cardinal characteristics of exercise and sleep disturbance. METHODS: Data were collected through a Norwegian comprehensive self-report survey. A total of 3763 respondents (46% males, 54% females) with an average age of 47.9 years (range 15-93) completed the questionnaire, whereof 13.7% were categorized as poor sleepers. The exercise characteristics and sleep disturbance were measured on a 6 to 8 and a 4-item Likert scale, respectively. RESULTS: Respondents reporting intermediate levels of exercise frequency, duration and intensity, respectively, had a significantly lower occurrence of sleep disturbance compared to respondents with a sedentary lifestyle. No statistical difference in sleep disturbance was observed between respondents performing exercise corresponding to the lowest and highest levels of the three exercise characteristics and those who were sedentary. CONCLUSIONS: The lack of positive association between the lowest and highest levels of the cardinal exercise characteristic and reduction in sleep disturbance revealed in the present study support a recommendation of intermediate levels of exercise frequency, duration and intensity for preventing sleep disturbance in the general population.

Predictors of return-to-work in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain: A randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the predictive effect of a multidisciplinary intervention programme, pain, work-related factors and health, including anxiety/depression and beliefs, on return-to-work for patients sick-listed due to musculoskeletal pain. DESIGN: A randomized clinical study. METHODS: A total of 284 patients were randomized to either a multidisciplinary intervention programme (n = 141) or to a less resource-demanding brief intervention (n = 143). Work participation was estimated monthly from register data for 12 months. Return-to-work was defined as increased work participation in 3 consecutive months. RESULTS: In the adjusted model, return-to-work by 3 months was associated with a multidisciplinary intervention programme (odds ratio (OR) = 2.7, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 1.1-6.9), the factor "belief that work was cause of the pain" (OR = 2.2, 95% CI = 1.1-4.3), anxiety and depression (OR = 0.5, 95% CI = 0.2-0.98), and by an interaction between the multidisciplinary intervention and perceived support at work (OR = 0.3, 95% CI = 0.1-0.9). At 12 months, only duration of sick leave was associated with return-to-work (OR = 0.6, 95% CI = 0.5-0.8). CONCLUSION: Multidisciplinary intervention may hasten return-to-work and benefit those who perceive low support at work, but at 12 months only duration of sick leave at baseline was associated with return-to-work.

Thermal comfort sustained by cold protective clothing in Arctic open-pit mining-a thermal manikin and questionnaire study.

Workers in the Arctic open-pit mines are exposed to harsh weather conditions. Employers are required to provide protective clothing for workers. This can be the outer layer, but sometimes also inner or middle layers are provided. This study aimed to determine how Arctic open-pit miners protect themselves against cold and the sufficiency, and the selection criteria of the garments. Workers' cold experiences and the clothing in four Arctic open-pit mines in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Russia were evaluated by a questionnaire (n=1,323). Basic thermal insulation (Icl) of the reported clothing was estimated (ISO 9920). The Icl of clothing from the mines were also measured by thermal manikin (standing/walking) in 0.3 and 4.0 m/s wind. The questionnaire showed that the Icl of the selected clothing was on average 1.2 and 1.5 clo in mild (-5 to +5°C) and dry cold (-20 to -10°C) conditions, respectively. The Icl of the clothing measured by thermal manikin was 1.9-2.3 clo. The results show that the Arctic open-pit miners' selected their clothing based on occupational (time outdoors), environmental (temperature, wind, moisture) and individual factors (cold sensitivity, general health). However, the selected clothing was not sufficient to prevent cooling completely at ambient temperatures below -10°C.

Musculoskeletal symptoms and exposure to whole-body vibration among open-pit mine workers in the Arctic.

OBJECTIVES: This cross-sectional questionnaire study was carried out at 4 open-pit mines in Finland, Norway, Russia and Sweden as part of the MineHealth project. The aim has been to compare the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms between drivers of mining vehicles and non-drivers. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The mine workers were asked whether they had suffered from any musculoskeletal symptoms during the previous 12 months in specified body regions, and to grade the severity of these symptoms during the past month. They were also asked about their daily driving of mining vehicles. RESULTS: The questionnaire was completed by 1323 workers (757 vehicle drivers) and the reported prevalence and severity of symptoms were highest for the lower back, followed by pain in the neck, shoulder and upper back. Drivers in the Nordic mines reported fewer symptoms than non-drivers, while for Russian mine workers the results were the opposite of that. The daily driving of mining vehicles had no significant association with the risk of symptoms. Female drivers indicated a higher prevalence of symptoms as compared to male drivers. CONCLUSIONS: The study provided only weak support for the hypothesis that drivers of vehicles reported a higher prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms than non-vehicle drivers. There were marked differences in the prevalence of symptoms among workers in various enterprises, even though the nature of the job tasks was similar. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2017;30(4):553-564.

The mortality in Gaza in July-September 2014: a retrospective chart-review study.

BACKGROUND: The majority of Gazans who were killed or injured in the 2014 Israel-Gaza war were civilians, and one-fourth of the population were internally displaced. As the Gaza Strip is a small territory, the whole population was exposed to the war and its effects on the health care system, supplies and infrastructure. Our aim was to assess the overall, sex and age-group mortality in Gaza for the period July-September 2014 that was not caused by war injuries, and the proportion of non-trauma deaths among adults that occurred outside hospital wards. A comparison was made with the mortality for the same period in 2013. METHOD: Date, sex, age, cause and place of each death that was not attributed to war-related physical trauma were collected from death notification forms or death records in Gaza hospitals for the period 01 July to 30 September 2014. The same information was extracted from the local death register for all deaths in the same period in 2013. RESULTS: The mean age at death was 52.4 years in 2014 and 49.7 in 2013, and about 50 % were older than 60 years in both years. The crude non-trauma death rates among adults were 11.6 per 10,000 population in 2014 and 11.3 in 2013, and the age standardised 13.2 and 12.4, respectively. Higher death rates in 2014 were observed among elderly and women. Cardiovascular disease was the most common cause of death among adults of both sexes, and infectious diseases caused less than 10 % in both periods. Three maternal deaths were observed in 2013 and six in 2014 (p = 0.17). The proportion of deaths that occurred in a hospital ward was 71.5 % in 2013 and 51.2 % in 2014. CONCLUSIONS: The mortality from communicable diseases was low in Gaza. We did not detect a higher overall background mortality in the 2014 period compared to 2013, but the observed age and sex distribution differed. The proportion of non-trauma deaths among adults that occurred in a hospital ward was markedly lower during the war. The living conditions and health care situation in Gaza point to the need for close monitoring of mortality.

Epidemiology of Cardiovascular Malformations among Newborns in Monchegorsk (North-West Russia): a Register-Based Study.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular malformations (CVM) are one of the most prevalent groups of birth defects. Knowledge about the prevalence, distribution and survival in Russia has been limited. The aim of our study was to assess the perinatal prevalence, structure and risk factors for CVM among newborns in Monchegorsk (Murmansk Oblast, Russia) and the mortality among the affected newborns in the period 1973-2008. DESIGN AND METHODS: A register-based study on data from the Kola and Murmansk County Birth Registers. The study included 28,511 births. RESULTS: The registered perinatal prevalence was 3.0 per 1000 new-borns, with septal defects as the most prevalent. CVM was twenty times more prevalent among stillborn than live born, and one-third of the live born with a CVM died during the first week of life. The perinatal mortality rate with CVM was 442 per 1000 newborns. This indicator decreased over time. The mothers of newborns with a CVM were ten times more likely to have stillbirth in their anamnesis. The adjusted odds ratio between maternal smoking during pregnancy and CVM was 4.09 [95% confidence interval: 1.75-9.53]. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosed perinatal prevalence was relatively low. A previous stillbirth by the mother was highly associated with being born with a CVM. An adjusted elevated risk was also observed among smoking mothers. Perinatal survival increased over time, but varied to a large extent between the different types of CVM. Significance for public healthCardiovascular malformation is one of the most common groups of birth defects. It is considered an important public health issue, as these malformations are the main cause of infant deaths in developed countries. Precise estimates about the prevalence and perinatal survival are needed to organise and plan health care for such newborns. Our study is the first report from the Russian Federation based on data from population-based birth registers.

Low back pain among mineworkers in relation to driving, cold environment and ergonomics.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to study the association between low back pain (LBP) and exposure to low temperature, wet clothes, heavy lifting and jobs that involve whole body vibration (WBV) in a population of miners. METHODS: Health and personal data were collected in a population study by a questionnaire. A total of 3530 workers from four mines participated in the study. RESULTS: 51% of the workers reported LBP within the last 12 months. The adjusted odds ratio for LBP was above unity for working with wet clothes (1.82), working in cold conditions (1.52), lifting heavy (1.54), having worked as a driver previously (1.79) and driving Toro400 (2.61) or train (1.69). CONCLUSION: Wet clothing, cold working conditions, heavy lifting, previous work as a driver and driving certain vehicles were associated with LBP, but vehicles with WBV levels above action value were not. For better prevention of LBP, improved cabin conditions and clothing should be emphasised. PRACTITIONER SUMMARY: To address risk factors for low back pain (LBP) in miners, a population study measured exposures and LBP. Cold work conditions, wet clothes and awkward postures appeared to be more strongly associated with LBP than exposure to whole body vibration from driving heavy vehicles. Prevention strategies must focus more on clothing and ergonomics.

Laparoscopic repair of incisional hernia in solid organ-transplanted patients: the method of choice?

Due to immunosuppressive (IS) therapy, incisional hernias are overrepresented in the organ-transplanted (Tx) population with larger defects, a high rate of recurrence, and a tendency toward more seromas and infectious problems. Thirty-one Tx/IS patients with a control group of 70 non-IS patients with incisional hernia (6/7 recurrences) were included in a prospective interventional study. Both cohorts were treated with laparoscopic ventral hernia repair (LVHR). Follow-up time and rate was 37 months and 95%. One hundred LVHR's were completed as there was one conversion in the Tx/IS group. No late infections or mesh removals occurred. Recurrence rates were 9.7% vs. 4.2% (P = 0.37) and the overall complication rates were 19% vs. 27% (P = 0.80). The Tx/IS group had a higher mesh-protrusion rate (29% vs. 13%, P = 0.09), but also larger hernias. Polycystic kidney disease was overrepresented in the Tx cohort (44% of kidney-Tx). Incisional hernias in Tx/IS patients may be treated by LVHR with the same low complication rate and recurrence rate as non-IS patients. By LVHR, the highly problematic seroma/infection problems encountered in Tx/IS patients treated by conventional open technique seem almost eliminated. The minimally invasive procedure seems particularly rational in the Tx/Is population and should be the method of choice. (ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT00455299, date: 5 May 2006).

Low birth weight in newborns to women employed in jobs with frequent exposure to organic solvents.

The effects of occupational exposure to organic solvents in pregnancy on foetal growth are still unclear. Our aim was to study whether live newborns to women employed in paid jobs with frequent exposure had a different risk of being born with low birth weight (LBW), compared to those of women in jobs without such exposure. The study population was all singleton newborns delivered in the industrial township of Moncegorsk (N = 26,415). Information about occupation and characteristics of the mothers and babies was obtained from the local population-based birth register, and registered job function was used to classify exposure. We observed an elevated risk of LBW among live, singleton newborns in the exposed group (adjusted odds ratio: 1.68 [95% CI: 1.18-2.41]), which predominantly consisted of painters. The adjusted odds of LBW in the exposed group were also higher among term-born neonates. In addition, a lower mean birth weight was observed among the exposed.

How occupational health is assessed in mine workers in Murmansk Oblast.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to describe how work exposure and occupational health is assessed for mine workers in Murmansk Oblast, Russia. STUDY DESIGN: A descriptive study based on current practice, laws and available literature. METHODS: The information and data were obtained from scientific publications, reports, regional and federal statistics, legal documents, through personal visits and on-site inspections. RESULTS: Several institutions are involved in these assessments, but all mine workers have been examined by specialists at one institution, which helps to ensure that the work is of stable quality and adds reliability value to the numbers. Workplace risks are assigned hazard grades, which influence the frequency of periodic medical examinations and salary levels. The examinations are aimed to diagnose latent or manifest occupational disease. This may lead to relocation to a workplace with lower exposure levels, free medical treatment, compensation and a lower pension age. CONCLUSIONS: Regulations and systems to protect the health of mine workers have more emphasis on control and repair than on prevention. Since relocation can lower the salary, some workers may under-report medical problems. To what degree this happens is unknown. The mining enterprises pay the medical service provider for periodic medical examinations, which could potentially weaken their independent role. This framework is important to understand when studying and assessing the health of working populations in the circumpolar region.

Congenital anomalies in newborns to women employed in jobs with frequent exposure to organic solvents--a register-based prospective study.

BACKGROUND: The foetal effects of occupational exposure to organic solvents in pregnancy are still unclear. Our aim was to study the risk of non-chromosomal congenital anomalies at birth in a well-defined population of singletons born to women employed as painters and spoolers in early pregnancy, compared to women in non-hazardous occupations. METHOD: The study population for this prospective cohort study was singleton newborns delivered to working mothers in the industrial community of Moncegorsk in the period 1973-2005. Occupational information and characteristics of the women and their newborns was obtained from the local population-based birth register. RESULTS: The 597 women employed as painters, painter-plasterers or spoolers had 712 singleton births, whereof 31 (4.4%) were perinatally diagnosed with 37 malformations. Among the 10 561 newborns in the group classified as non-exposed, 397 (3.9%) had one or more malformations. The overall prevalence in the exposed group was 520/10 000 births [95% confidence limits (CL): 476, 564], and 436/10 000 births (95% CL: 396, 476) in the unexposed. Adjusted for young maternal age, smoking during pregnancy, maternal congenital malformation and year of birth, the odds ratio (OR) was 1.24 (95% CL: 0.85, 1.82); for multiple anomalies it was 1.54 (95% CL: 0.66, 3.59).The largest organ-system specific difference in prevalence between the two groups was observed for malformations of the circulatory system: 112/10 000 (95% CL: 35, 190) in the exposed group, and 42/10 000 (95% CL: 29, 54) in the unexposed, with an adjusted OR of 2.03 (95% CL: 0.85, 4.84). The adjusted ORs for malformations of the genital organs and musculoskeletal system were 2.24 (95% CI: 0.95, 5.31) and 1.12 (95% CI: (0.62, 2.02), respectively. CONCLUSION: There appeared to be a higher risk of malformations of the circulatory system and genital organs at birth among newborns to women in occupations with organic solvent exposure during early pregnancy (predominantly employed as painters). However, the findings were not statistically conclusive. Considering that these two categories of malformations are not readily diagnosed perinatally, the difference in prevalence between the exposed and unexposed may have been underestimated.

Infant growth disparity in the Khanh Hoa province in Vietnam: a follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: Surveys in Vietnam have indicated that wasting and stunting have been prevalent among children, but the country is undergoing rapid socio-economic changes and little has been known about the relative situation in the different areas of the country. In 2006, the WHO introduced new growth standards applicable to all infant and child populations, which facilitates for improved assessments of the prevalence of growth impairment, independent of time, place and ethnicity. The aim of our study was to assess the growth of singleton infants delivered at term in three main birth clinics in the Khanh Hoa province in Vietnam by using the new WHO standards as reference, and the association between growth and some maternal, birth and health factors. METHODS: A cohort of 237 singleton infants born in the period May-July 2005 in three main delivery clinics in the Khanh Hoa province were observed prospectively. Their anthropometrical measures a year later were compared to the WHO sex-specific growth standards for weight-for-age, length-for-age, weight-for-length, and BMI-for-age. These measures were analysed as dependent outcomes using multiple linear regression models including the following independent factors: urban vs. rural birth, 1-minute Apgar score, weight and length at birth, duration of lactation, ever had diarrhoea, dengue fever, pneumonia or dysentery, and maternal age, height, gestational duration and parity. RESULTS: Compared to the standard distributions, 79% were below the median for weight-for-length; 18.0% were within the 5th percentile for length-for-age, 9.6% for weight-for-age, 20.3% for weight-for-length, and 19.8% for BMI. A lower length- and weight-for-age were statistically associated with being born rurally. CONCLUSIONS: In this delivery-clinic based sample of children in the Khanh Hoa province in Vietnam, the proportions within the WHO-standard 5th percentiles for length-for-age, weight-for-length and BMI in late infancy were 3-4 times higher than expected, which indicate that deficient growth is prevalent. The infants born in a rural area had a lower weight- and length-for-age than their urban counterparts, independent of diarrhoea.

The incidence and maternal age distribution of abdominal wall defects in Norway and Arkhangelskaja Oblast in Russia.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the foetal incidence of isolated anterior abdominal wall defects (gastroschisis and omphalocele) in the Arkhangelskaja Oblast (AO) in Russia and in Norway, as well as to study the maternal-age distribution of these defects. STUDY DESIGN: A register-based incidence study. METHODS: All registered foetuses and newborns with at least 12 weeks of gestation in the populations of AO (141,159) and Norway (293,708) were included. The data covered the period 1995-2004 in AO and 1999-2003 in Norway and were obtained from the malformation register in AO and the Medical Birth Registry of Norway. RESULTS: The majority of the outcomes with a defect were liveborn in Norway (65%), while in AO the majority were spontaneously or medically aborted (59%). The incidence of anterior abdominal wall defects was 5.4/10,000 (95% confidence limits: +/- 1.7) in AO and 5.1/10,000 +/- 0.8) in Norway, and the ratio of omphalocele to gastroschisis was 1.2 in AO vs. 0.9 in Norway. Gastroschisis was inversely associated with maternal age in Norway. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a difference in maternal age distribution, there was no difference in the incidence of abdominal wall defects in AO and Norway. Gastroschisis was associated with young maternal age only in Norway, and the higher incidence in maternal age groups younger than 25 warrants further studies about aetiological factors associated with young maternal age.

The incidence of neural tube defects in Norway and the Arkhangelskaja Oblast in Russia and the association with maternal age.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of isolated anencephaly and spina bifida in the Arkhangelskaja Oblast (AO) in Russia and in Norway, and to study the maternal age distribution of these congenital defects. DESIGN: A register-based incidence study. SETTING: Two different populations in Northern Europe. POPULATION: All registered fetuses and newborns with at least 12 weeks' gestation in the populations of AO (1995-2004) and Norway (1999-2003) were included. A total of 141,159 in AO and 293,708 in Norway. METHODS: Data were obtained from the malformation register in AO and the Medical Birth Registry of Norway. Main outcome measures. Total and maternal age-group specific incidence of anencephaly and spina bifida. RESULTS: A total of 298 newborns and abortuses had one of the defects in AO (21.1/10,000 (95% confidence interval:+/-3.4)) and 317 (10.8/10,000 (+/-1.2)) in Norway. The incidence of anencephaly was 10.7/10,000 in AO and 5.5 in Norway, and of spina bifida 10.4 and 5.3, respectively. An inverse association between the age of the pregnant women and the incidence of neural tube defects was observed in both populations; for both anencephaly and spina bifida in AO; but only for anencephaly (age < 30 years) in Norway. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of both anencephaly and spina bifida was higher in a northern population of Russia than in Norway. The burden of anencephaly was highest in the youngest maternal age group in both populations. The relatively high incidence of both anencephaly and spina bifida in the Russian population warrants further studies.

The current state of birth outcome and birth defect surveillance in northern regions of the world.

OBJECTIVES: Little is known about the rates of congenital anomalies in the northernmost regions of the world. As in other parts of the world, it is crucial to assess the relative rates and trends of adverse birth outcomes and birth defects, as indicators of population health and to develop public health strategies for prevention. The aim of this review is to catalogue existing and developing birth outcome and birth defect surveillance within and around the geographic jurisdiction of the International Union of Circumpolar Health (IUCH). STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive study. METHODS: The representatives of the IUCH Birth Defects Working Group catalogued existing and developing birth and birth defect surveillance systems and the extent of information they contain to determine inter-regional comparability. RESULTS: Systematic population-based registration of birth outcomes including birth defects occurs to some degree in all circumpolar countries, but the quality of collection and the coverage in northernmost regions vary. There are limited circumpolar jurisdictions with surveillance systems collecting birth defect information beyond the perinatal period. Efforts are underway in Canada and Russia to improve the quality and comprehensiveness of the information collected in the northern regions. CONCLUSIONS: Although there is variability in the comprehensiveness of information collected in northern jurisdictions limiting sophisticated comparative analyses between regions, there is untapped potential for baseline analyses of specific risks and outcomes that could provide insight into geographic differences and gaps in surveillance that could be improved.

Maternal nickel exposure and congenital musculoskeletal defects.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether women occupationally exposed to nickel in early pregnancy are at elevated risk of delivering a newborn with a malformation or deformation of the musculoskeletal system (ICD-10: Q65-Q79). METHODS: Data about the newborn, maternal occupation and workplace were obtained using the Kola Birth Register (KBR). Each record in the KBR was assigned a categorical nickel (Ni) exposure rating according to the occupation the delivering woman had at the time of becoming pregnant. This was achieved by using as a guideline the water-soluble Ni subfraction of the inhalable aerosol fraction obtained by personal monitoring for nickel- and copper-refinery workers or/and measured urinary-Ni concentrations. The reference population was delivering women from the source population with background exposure level. In total, the study population consisted of 22,965 births. RESULTS: Three hundred and four infants (13.3/1,000 births; 95% confidence interval (CI): 11.9-14.7) were diagnosed with isolated musculoskeletal defect(s) at birth. The adjusted odds ratio for the association between the maternal exposure to Ni and this outcome was 0.96 (95% CI: 0.76-1.21) per unit increase in exposure category. CONCLUSION: The incidence of defects in the musculoskeletal system at birth was high, especially for feet deformities, but we found no effect of maternal exposure to water-soluble Ni on the risk of delivering a newborn with a defect. However, the incidence among women working in the copper refinery was higher than in the other employment groups.

Spontaneous abortions among nickel-exposed female refinery workers.

A case-control study to investigate whether women employed in nickel-exposed work areas in early pregnancy are at elevated risk of spontaneous abortion (SA). Data about pregnancy outcome and maternal factors were obtained about each delivery and SA from women in selected work places. Each pregnancy record was assigned a categorical nickel (Ni) exposure rating according to the women's occupations at pregnancy onset. The guidelines were the water-soluble Ni subfraction of the inhalable aerosol fraction obtained by personal monitoring for nickel- and copper-refinery workers or/and measured urinary-Ni concentrations. The unadjusted odds ratio for the association between the maternal exposure to Ni and an SA for Ni-exposed women was 1.38 (95% confidence interval: 1.04-1.84), and the adjusted was 1.14 (0.95-1.37). In conclusion, there was no statistical association between maternal occupational exposure to water-soluble Ni in early pregnancy and the risk of self-reported SA. The findings do not exclude the possibility of a weak excess risk, or a risk in the first weeks of pregnancy.