American Journal of Epidemiology Advance Access originally published online on May 9, 2007
American Journal of Epidemiology 2007 166(2):236; doi:10.1093/aje/kwm123
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR |
RE: "META-ANALYSIS OF MORTALITY AND CANCER INCIDENCE AMONG WORKERS IN THE SYNTHETIC RUBBER-PRODUCING INDUSTRY"
From the Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115
(e-mail: monson{at}hohp.harvard.edu)
In reading the meta-analysis of mortality and cancer incidence among workers in the rubber industry by Alder et al. (1), I noticed some errors in table 1. Cohort group 15 in that table refers to a paper by Monson and Nakano (2) published in the Journal in 1976. Footnote "#" states that "30 percent of subjects were considered ‘live withdrawals’ as of January 1, 1973, if an income tax return had not been filed in 1972 or 1973" (1, p. 411). This statement is incorrect as follows.
- Thirty-one percent (n = 4,164) of the total cohort (n = 13,571) had terminated employment prior to the common closing date of the study (July 1, 1974). Of these, 2,649 were known to have filed an income tax return in 1972 or 1973; these study subjects were considered to be "live withdrawals" on January 1 of the year in which the return was filed.
- Of the remaining 1,515 terminated employees, 739 were found to have died during the study period; 70 percent of the other 776 terminated employees were known to be receiving Social Security benefits during 1973 and were considered to be live withdrawals on July 1, 1973. "The status of the remaining 30 percent (n = 233) was unknown, but no death claim had been filed with the Social Security Administration" (2, p. 287).
- Thus, the proportion of study subjects lost to follow-up was approximately 2 percent (233/13,571).
Whether these corrections alter the judgment of Alder et al. (1) as to adequacy of follow-up is a matter for them and the editor to decide.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS |
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Conflict of interest: none declared.
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References |
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 TOP References |
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- Alder N, Fenty J, Warren F, et al. Meta-analysis of mortality and cancer incidence among workers in the synthetic rubber-producing industry. Am J Epidemiol (2006) 164:405–20.
[Abstract/Free Full Text] - Monson RR, Nakano KK. Mortality among rubber workers. I. White male union employees in Akron, Ohio. Am J Epidemiol (1976) 103:284–96.
[Abstract/Free Full Text]
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  N Alder, L Rushton, A. Sutton, and D. Jones FOUR AUTHORS REPLY Am. J. Epidemiol., July 15, 2007; 166(2): 236 - 236. [Full Text] [PDF]
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