All-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality in the population of a large Italian area contaminated by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (1980–2018)
Abstract Background Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are associated with many adverse health conditions. Among the main effects is carcinogenicity in humans, which deserves to be further clarified. An evident association has been reported for kidney cancer and testicular cancer. In 2013, a...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2024-04-01
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| Series: | Environmental Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-024-01074-2 |
| _version_ | 1797199214052114432 |
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| author | Annibale Biggeri Giorgia Stoppa Laura Facciolo Giuliano Fin Silvia Mancini Valerio Manno Giada Minelli Federica Zamagni Michela Zamboni Dolores Catelan Lauro Bucchi |
| author_facet | Annibale Biggeri Giorgia Stoppa Laura Facciolo Giuliano Fin Silvia Mancini Valerio Manno Giada Minelli Federica Zamagni Michela Zamboni Dolores Catelan Lauro Bucchi |
| author_sort | Annibale Biggeri |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are associated with many adverse health conditions. Among the main effects is carcinogenicity in humans, which deserves to be further clarified. An evident association has been reported for kidney cancer and testicular cancer. In 2013, a large episode of surface, ground and drinking water contamination with PFAS was uncovered in three provinces of the Veneto Region (northern Italy) involving 30 municipalities and a population of about 150,000. We report on the temporal evolution of all-cause mortality and selected cause-specific mortality by calendar period and birth cohort in the local population between 1980 and 2018. Methods The Italian National Institute of Health pre-processed and made available anonymous data from the Italian National Institute of Statistics death certificate archives for residents of the provinces of Vicenza, Padua and Verona (males, n = 29,629; females, n = 29,518) who died between 1980 and 2018. Calendar period analysis was done by calculating standardised mortality ratios using the total population of the three provinces in the same calendar period as reference. The birth cohort analysis was performed using 20–84 years cumulative standardised mortality ratios. Exposure was defined as being resident in one of the 30 municipalities of the Red area, where the aqueduct supplying drinking water was fed by the contaminated groundwater. Results During the 34 years between 1985 (assumed as beginning date of water contamination) and 2018 (last year of availability of cause-specific mortality data), in the resident population of the Red area we observed 51,621 deaths vs. 47,731 expected (age- and sex-SMR: 108; 90% CI: 107–109). We found evidence of raised mortality from cardiovascular disease (in particular, heart diseases and ischemic heart disease) and malignant neoplastic diseases, including kidney cancer and testicular cancer. Conclusions For the first time, an association of PFAS exposure with mortality from cardiovascular disease was formally demonstrated. The evidence regarding kidney cancer and testicular cancer is consistent with previously reported data. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T07:12:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bcb6856f626e44f093d2d8c70acd1cb8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1476-069X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T07:12:11Z |
| publishDate | 2024-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-bcb6856f626e44f093d2d8c70acd1cb82024-04-21T11:29:00ZengBMCEnvironmental Health1476-069X2024-04-0123112010.1186/s12940-024-01074-2All-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality in the population of a large Italian area contaminated by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (1980–2018)Annibale Biggeri0Giorgia Stoppa1Laura Facciolo2Giuliano Fin3Silvia Mancini4Valerio Manno5Giada Minelli6Federica Zamagni7Michela Zamboni8Dolores Catelan9Lauro Bucchi10Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health University of PaduaUnit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health University of PaduaComitato mamme NO-PFASComitato mamme NO-PFASEmilia-Romagna Cancer Registry, Romagna Cancer Institute, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) Dino AmadoriStatistical Service, Istituto Superiore di SanitàStatistical Service, Istituto Superiore di SanitàEmilia-Romagna Cancer Registry, Romagna Cancer Institute, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) Dino AmadoriComitato mamme NO-PFASUnit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health University of PaduaEmilia-Romagna Cancer Registry, Romagna Cancer Institute, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) Dino AmadoriAbstract Background Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are associated with many adverse health conditions. Among the main effects is carcinogenicity in humans, which deserves to be further clarified. An evident association has been reported for kidney cancer and testicular cancer. In 2013, a large episode of surface, ground and drinking water contamination with PFAS was uncovered in three provinces of the Veneto Region (northern Italy) involving 30 municipalities and a population of about 150,000. We report on the temporal evolution of all-cause mortality and selected cause-specific mortality by calendar period and birth cohort in the local population between 1980 and 2018. Methods The Italian National Institute of Health pre-processed and made available anonymous data from the Italian National Institute of Statistics death certificate archives for residents of the provinces of Vicenza, Padua and Verona (males, n = 29,629; females, n = 29,518) who died between 1980 and 2018. Calendar period analysis was done by calculating standardised mortality ratios using the total population of the three provinces in the same calendar period as reference. The birth cohort analysis was performed using 20–84 years cumulative standardised mortality ratios. Exposure was defined as being resident in one of the 30 municipalities of the Red area, where the aqueduct supplying drinking water was fed by the contaminated groundwater. Results During the 34 years between 1985 (assumed as beginning date of water contamination) and 2018 (last year of availability of cause-specific mortality data), in the resident population of the Red area we observed 51,621 deaths vs. 47,731 expected (age- and sex-SMR: 108; 90% CI: 107–109). We found evidence of raised mortality from cardiovascular disease (in particular, heart diseases and ischemic heart disease) and malignant neoplastic diseases, including kidney cancer and testicular cancer. Conclusions For the first time, an association of PFAS exposure with mortality from cardiovascular disease was formally demonstrated. The evidence regarding kidney cancer and testicular cancer is consistent with previously reported data.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-024-01074-2Perfluoroalkyl substancesPolyfluoroalkyl substancesPFASPFOAPFOSCardiovascular disease |
| spellingShingle | Annibale Biggeri Giorgia Stoppa Laura Facciolo Giuliano Fin Silvia Mancini Valerio Manno Giada Minelli Federica Zamagni Michela Zamboni Dolores Catelan Lauro Bucchi All-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality in the population of a large Italian area contaminated by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (1980–2018) Environmental Health Perfluoroalkyl substances Polyfluoroalkyl substances PFAS PFOA PFOS Cardiovascular disease |
| title | All-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality in the population of a large Italian area contaminated by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (1980–2018) |
| title_full | All-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality in the population of a large Italian area contaminated by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (1980–2018) |
| title_fullStr | All-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality in the population of a large Italian area contaminated by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (1980–2018) |
| title_full_unstemmed | All-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality in the population of a large Italian area contaminated by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (1980–2018) |
| title_short | All-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality in the population of a large Italian area contaminated by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (1980–2018) |
| title_sort | all cause cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality in the population of a large italian area contaminated by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances 1980 2018 |
| topic | Perfluoroalkyl substances Polyfluoroalkyl substances PFAS PFOA PFOS Cardiovascular disease |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-024-01074-2 |
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