Benzene exposure and risk of benzene poisoning in Chinese workers

Roel Vermeulen*, Lützen Portengen, Guilan Li, Ethel S Gilbert, Graça M Dores, Bu Tian Ji, Richard B Hayes, Sognian Yin, Nathanial Rothman, Martha S. Linet, Lan Qing

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Objectives: Benzene is a known haematoxin and leukemogen that can cause benzene poisoning (BP), that is, a persistent reduction in white cell counts that is strongly associated with increased risk of lymphohaematopoietic malignancies. Data are needed on the exposure-response, particularly at low doses and susceptible populations for clinical and regulatory purposes. Methods: In a case-cohort study among 110 631 Chinese workers first employed 1949-1987 and followed up during 1972-1999, we evaluated BP risk according to benzene exposure level and investigated risk modification by subject (sex, attained age) and exposure-related factors (latency, exposure windows, age at first benzene exposure, coexposure to toluene) using excess relative risk and excess absolute risk models. Results: There were 538 BP cases and 909 benzene-exposed referents. The exposure metric with best model fit was cumulative benzene exposure during a 5-year risk window, followed by a 9-month lag period before BP diagnosis. Estimated excess absolute risk of BP at age 60 increased from 0.5% for subjects in the lowest benzene exposure category (>0 to 10 ppm-years) to 5.0% for those in the highest category (>100 ppm-years) compared with unexposed subjects. Increased risks were apparent at low cumulative exposure levels and for workers who were first exposed at
Original languageEnglish
Article number108155
Pages (from-to)610-617
JournalOccupational and Environmental Medicine
Volume79
Issue number9
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 10 Mar 2022

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