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Biomedical subjects

J M Meijers

Publications and source records attributed to J M Meijers.

23 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Prenarcotic and neuraesthenic symptoms among Dutch workers exposed to organic solvents.

A population of 379 Dutch workers exposed to organic solvents was compared with a non-exposed population of 443 workers with regard to the prevalence of prenarcotic and neuraesthenic symptoms. Participants completed a questionnaire to collect information about their occupational history, exposure to organic solvents, and the occurrence of symptoms. The results of the study indicated that workers exposed to solvents have a higher reporting rate of prenarcotic symptoms than workers not exposed to solvents. The prevalence of chronic neurotoxic effects, however, in the form of neuraesthenic symptoms was only weakly associated with reported exposure to organic solvents. The influence of work stress in the development of these symptoms is perhaps more important than the role of exposure to organic solvents. It is concluded that the organic solvent syndrome type I, as defined by an international workshop, is not an important health hazard among Dutch painters.

Humans↗
PubMed1988

Lung cancer among Dutch coal miners: a case-control study.

A case-control study was conducted in the southern part of The Netherlands to investigate the risk of lung cancer in coal miners; 381 age-matched pairs of primary lung cancer cases and controls, diagnosed between 1972 and 1988, were selected from the pathology department of the University Hospital in the region. Information about past employment in coal mines was obtained through the registers of the collaborative pension fund for Dutch miners. 20% of the cases were (at some time) employed in coal mining, compared with 21% of the controls (odds ratio 0.95; 95% confidence interval: 0.65-1.38). 9% of both cases and controls had an underground work history (odds ratio 0.96; 95% confidence interval: 0.56-1.65). The duration of underground coal mining did not differ substantially between cases and referents (average duration: respectively 117 and 108 months). No relation between specific histologic tumor cell types and coal mining could be demonstrated. The study gives no indication that workers in Dutch coal mines have an increased risk of developing lung malignancies.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Influence of design characteristics on the outcome of retrospective cohort studies.

Retrospective cohort studies are increasingly being applied in occupational health. To describe and investigate further this type of study 179 retrospective cohort studies published in six scientific journals between 1975 and 1985 inclusive were reviewed. A description of the 179 reviewed articles was made and relations between investigator orientated variables, design characteristics, and the outcome of the study were investigated. Retrospective cohort studies focusing on exposures in the chemical industry appeared to yield most negative findings, which is partly explained by the relation between the affiliation of the investigator and the outcome of the study. Studies requiring a minimal latency period, an occupational reference group, and a low percentage of lost to follow up tended to have a higher chance of a positive finding. Study size, however, did not appear to be related to the outcome.

Cohort Studies↗