Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Risk of cataract removal surgery in Mayak PA workers occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation over prolonged periods

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Radiation and Environmental Biophysics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this study, the risk of cataract removal surgery was assessed in a cohort of workers occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation over a prolonged period. The study cohort includes 22,377 workers of the Mayak Production Association (about 25% of whom are females) first employed at one of the main facilities in 1948–1982, who were followed up to the end of 2008. Dose estimates used in the study are provided by the Mayak Worker Dosimetry System 2008. The mean cumulative dose from external γ-rays [personal dose equivalent Hp(10)] is 0.54 ± 0.76 Sv for males and 0.44 ± 0.65 Sv for females. The mean cumulative doses from neutrons (personal dose equivalent Hp(10)n) were 0.034 ± 0.080 Sv for males and 0.033 ± 0.092 Sv for females. Relative risks and excess relative risks per unit dose were calculated based on maximum likelihood. Among 4,177 workers diagnosed with a verified diagnosis of senile cataract, 701 lens removal surgeries (16.7%) were performed by the end of the follow-up period. The risk of cataract removal surgery was shown to be significantly associated with non-radiation factors such as sex, attained age, smoking, an ocular comorbidity (e.g., glaucoma), and a somatic comorbidity (e.g., diabetes mellitus). There was no significant association of cataract removal surgery with external γ-dose regardless of inclusion of the neutron dose adjustment with either linear or non-linear models. It is concluded that cataract removal surgery rate may not be a highly sensitive and specific indicator that could serve as a surrogate for radiation-related cataracts.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ainsbury EA, Barnard S, Bright S, Dalke C, Jarrin M, Kunze S, Tanner R, Dynlacht JR, Quinlan RA, Graw J, Kadhim M, Hamada N (2016) Ionizing radiation induced cataracts: recent biological and mechanistic developments and perspectives for future research. Mutat Res 770:238–261

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Akaike H (1974) A new look at statistical model identification. IEEE Trans Automat Control 19:716223

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Azizova TV, Day RD, Wald N, Muirhead CR, O’Hagan JA, Sumina MV, Belyaeva ZD, Druzhinina MB, Teplyakov II, Semenikhina NG, Stetsenko LA, Grigoryeva ES, Krupenina LN, Vlasenko EV (2008) The “Clinic” medical-dosimetric database of Mayak production association workers: structure, characteristics and prospects of utilization. Health Phys 94:449–458

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Azizova TV, Haylock RGE, Moseeva MB, Bannikova MV, Grigoryeva ES (2014) Cerebrovascular diseases incidence and mortality in an extended Mayak worker cohort 1948–1982. Radiat Res 182:529–544

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Azizova TV, Grigorieva ES, Hunter N, Pikulina MV, Moseeva MB (2015) Risk of mortality from circulatory diseases in Mayak workers cohort following occupational radiation exposure. J Radiol Prot 35:517–538

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Azizova TV, Bragin EV, Hamada N, Bannikova MV (2016) Risk of Cataract Incidence in a cohort of Mayak PA Workers following chronic occupational radiation exposure. PLOS One 11:e0164357

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Azizova TV, Hamada N, Grigoryeva ES, Bragin EV (2018) Risk of various types of cataracts in a cohort of Mayak workers following chronic occupational exposure to ionizing radiation. Eur J Epidemiol 33(12):1193–1204

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Choshi K, Takaku I, Mishima H, Takase T, Neriishi S, Finch SC, Otake M (1983) Ophthalmologic changes related to radiation exposure and age in adult health study sample, Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Radiat Res 96:560–579

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Dauer LT, Ainsbury EA, Dynlacht J, Hoel D, Klein BEK, Mayer D, Prescott CR, Thornton RH, Vano E, Woloschak GE, Flannery CM, Goldstein LE, Hamada N, Tran PK, Grissom MP, Blakely EA (2017) Guidance on radiation dose limits for the lens of the eye: overview of the recommendations in NCRP Commentary No. 26. Int J Radiat Biol 93:1015–1023

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fountos BN (2017) Highlights of the Russian Health Studies Program and updated research findings. Radiat Prot Dosim 173:4–9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hamada N (2017) Ionizing radiation sensitivity of the ocular lens and its dose rate dependence. Int J Radiat Biol 93:1024–1034

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hamada N, Fujimichi Y (2014) Classification of radiation effects for dose limitation purposes: history, current situation and future prospects. J Radiat Res 55:629–640

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hamada N, Fujimichi Y, Iwasaki T, Fujii N, Furuhashi M, Kubo E, Minamino T, Nomura T, Sato H (2014) Emerging issues in radiogenic cataracts and cardiovascular disease. J Radiat Res 55:831–846

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hayashida T, Sasaki H, Hamada N, Tatsuzaki H, Hatsusaki N, Akahane K, Yokoyama S (2017) Issues behind radiation management of workers at Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant of Tokyo Electric Power Company—from the viewpoint of radiation exposure of the ocular lens and the biological effects to the lens. Jpn J Health Phys 52:88–99

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ICRP (2007) 2007 Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection. ICRP Publication 103. Ann ICRP 37:2–4

    Google Scholar 

  • ICRP (2012) ICRP publication 118: Statement on tissue reactions and early and late effects of radiation in normal tissues and organs—threshold doses for tissue reactions in a radiation protection context. Ann ICRP 41(1–2):1–322

    Google Scholar 

  • Khokhryakov VV, Khokhryakov VF, Suslova KG, Vostrotin VV, Vvedensky VE, Sokolova AB, Krahenbuhl MP, Birchall A, Miller SC, Schadilov AE, Ephimov AV (2013) Mayak Worker Dosimetry System 2008 (MWDS-2008): Assessment of internal alpha-dose from measurement results of plutonium activity in urine. Health Phys 104:366–378

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Little MP, Kitahara CM, Cahoon EK, Bernier MO, Velazquez-Kronen R, Doody MM, Borrego D, Miller JS, Alexander BH, Simon SL, Prewton DL, Hamada N, Linet MS, Meyer C (2018) Occupational radiation exposure and risk of cataract incidence in a cohort of US radiologic technologists. Eur J Epidemiol 33:1179–1191

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Minamoto A, Taniguchi H, Yoshitani N, Mukai S, Yokoyama T, Kumagami T, Tsuda Y, Mishima HK, Amemiya T, Nakashima E, Neriishi K, Hida A, Fujiwara S, Suzuki G, Akahoshi M (2004) Cataract in atomic bomb survivors. Int J Radiat Biol 80:339–345

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nakashima E, Neriishi K, Minamoto A (2006) A reanalysis of atomic-bomb cataract data, 2000–2002: a threshold analysis. Health Phys 90:154–160

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nakashima E, Neriishi K, Minamoto A, Ohishi W, Akahoshi M (2013) Radiation dose responses, thresholds, and false negative rates in a series of cataract surgery prevalence studies among atomic bomb survivors, 1986–2005. Health Phys 105:253–260

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • NCRP (2016) Guidance on radiation dose limits for the lens of the eye. NCRP Commentary No. 26. National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, Bethesda

    Google Scholar 

  • Neriishi K, Nakashima E, Minamoto A, Fujiwara S, Akahoshi M, Mishima HK, Kitaoka T, Shore RE (2007) Postoperative cataract cases among atomic bomb survivors: radiation dose response and threshold. Radiat Res 168:404–408

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Neriishi K, Nakashima E, Akahoshi M, Hida A, Grant EJ, Masunari N, Funamoto S, Minamoto A, Fujiwara S, Shore RE (2012) Radiation ose and catarat surgery incidence in atomic bomb survivors, 1986–2005. Radiology 265(1):167–174

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Preston D, Lubin J, Pierce D, McConney M (1993) Epicure users guide. Hirosoft, Seattle

    Google Scholar 

  • Shore RE (2016) Radiation and cataract risk: Impact of recent epidemiologic studies on ICRP judgments. Mutat Res 770:231–237

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • WHO (1980) ICD-9 guidelines for coding diseases, injuries and causes of death/revision 1975. WHO, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • Worgul BV, Kundiyev YI, Sergiyenko NM, Chumak VV, Vitte PM, Medvedovsky C, Bakhanova EV, Junk AK, Kyrychenko OY, Musijachenko NV, Shylo SA, Vitte OP, Xu S, Xue X, Shore RE (2007) Cataracts among Chernobyl clean-up workers: implications regarding permissible eye exposures. Radiat Res 167:233–243

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Southern Urals Biophysics Institute (SUBI), Ozyorskoe Shosse 19, Ozyorsk, Chelyabinsk Region, 456780, Russia

    Tamara V. Azizova, Evgeny V. Bragin, Maria V. Bannikova & Evgeniya S. Grigoryeva

  2. Radiation Safety Research Center, Nuclear Technology Research Laboratory, Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI), 2-11-1 Iwado-kita, Komae, Tokyo, 201-8511, Japan

    Nobuyuki Hamada

Authors
  1. Tamara V. Azizova
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Nobuyuki Hamada
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Evgeny V. Bragin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Maria V. Bannikova
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Evgeniya S. Grigoryeva
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tamara V. Azizova.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical standards

The present record-based epidemiological study did not require any contact with cohort members. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the Southern Urals Biophysics Institute (SUBI) reviewed and approved the study, and confirmed that no signed consents were needed from members of the study cohort.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (DOCX 28 KB)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Azizova, T.V., Hamada, N., Bragin, E.V. et al. Risk of cataract removal surgery in Mayak PA workers occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation over prolonged periods. Radiat Environ Biophys 58, 139–149 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00411-019-00787-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00411-019-00787-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation