Exposure To Hazardous Air Pollutants And The Risk Of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Department

neurobiology

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a serious and rapidly fatal neurodegenerative disorder with an annual incidence of 1-2.6/100,000 persons. Few known risk factors exist although gene-environment interaction is suspected. We investigated the relationship between suspected neurotoxicant hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) exposure and ALS. Methods: A case-control study involving sporadic ALS cases (n = 51) and matched controls (n = 51) was conducted from 2008 to 2011. Geocoded residential addresses were linked to U.S. EPA NATA data (1999, 2002, and 2005) by census tract. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using conditional logistic regression. Results: Residential exposure to aromatic solvents significantly elevated the risk of ALS among cases compared to controls in 2002 (OR = 5.03, 95% CI: 1.29, 19.53) and 1999 (OR = 4.27, 95% CI: 1.09, 16.79) following adjustment for education, smoking, and other exposure groups. Metals, pesticides, and other HAPs were not associated with ALS. Conclusions: A potential relationship is suggested between residential ambient air aromatic solvent exposure and risk of ALS in this study.

Publication Date

2-4-2015

Publication Title

Environmental Pollution

ISSN

02697491

Volume

197

First Page

181

Last Page

186

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1016/j.envpol.2014.12.010

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