Figure 1Distribution of serum 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) concentrations in Korean Vietnam veterans as of June, 2001 (n=102). Two cases below the detection limit assigned to be 0.
Table 1.Number of cases and serum TCDD concentrations by characteristics in subjects (n=102)
Characteristics |
Classification |
n (%) |
Serum TCDD concentration (pg/g lipid)
|
Mean |
GM |
GSD |
p-value1
|
Minimum |
25th percentile |
Median |
75th percentile |
Maximum |
Age (y) as of June 1, 2001 |
<54 |
25 (24.5) |
1.4 |
1.0 |
(2.0) |
0.88 |
0.3 |
0.7 |
1.0 |
1.2 |
11.1 |
54-56 |
42 (41.2) |
1.3 |
1.0 |
(1.9) |
|
0.3 |
0.7 |
0.9 |
1.2 |
11.4 |
≥57 |
35 (34.3) |
1.0 |
0.9 |
(1.6) |
|
0.2 |
0.8 |
0.9 |
1.1 |
4.0 |
Body mass index (kg/m2) |
<21 |
16 (15.7) |
0.9 |
0.8 |
(1.4) |
0.63 |
0.5 |
0.6 |
0.8 |
1.0 |
1.8 |
21-24.9 |
40 (39.2) |
1.3 |
1.0 |
(1.9) |
|
0.2 |
0.8 |
1.0 |
1.2 |
11.1 |
25-26.9 |
26 (25.5) |
1.5 |
1.0 |
(2.1) |
|
0.3 |
0.7 |
1.0 |
1.3 |
11.4 |
≥27 |
20 (19.6) |
1.0 |
0.9 |
(1.6) |
|
0.5 |
0.7 |
0.8 |
1.2 |
2.7 |
Smoking |
Current |
41 (40.2) |
1.3 |
1.0 |
(1.7) |
0.72 |
0.6 |
0.7 |
0.9 |
1.1 |
11.1 |
Never |
41 (40.2) |
1.3 |
0.9 |
(2.1) |
|
0.2 |
0.7 |
0.9 |
1.2 |
11.4 |
Past |
20 (19.6) |
1.0 |
0.9 |
(1.5) |
|
0.5 |
0.6 |
0.9 |
1.2 |
1.8 |
Military unit |
Combat |
78 (76.5) |
1.2 |
1.0 |
(1.8) |
0.78 |
0.2 |
0.7 |
1.0 |
1.2 |
11.1 |
Support |
24 (23.5) |
1.4 |
0.9 |
(2.0) |
|
0.3 |
0.6 |
0.8 |
1.3 |
11.4 |
First year of deployment |
1964-1967 |
34 (33.3) |
1.0 |
0.9 |
(1.6) |
0.40 |
0.2 |
0.7 |
0.9 |
1.1 |
4.0 |
1968-1969 |
30 (29.4) |
1.3 |
1.0 |
(1.9) |
|
0.3 |
0.7 |
0.9 |
1.2 |
11.4 |
1970-1973 |
38 (37.3) |
1.4 |
1.1 |
(1.9) |
|
0.3 |
0.7 |
1.0 |
1.3 |
11.1 |
Duration of deployment in Vietnam (d) |
≤358 |
34 (33.3) |
1.6 |
1.0 |
(2.1) |
0.70 |
0.3 |
0.7 |
0.9 |
1.2 |
11.4 |
359-401 |
34 (33.3) |
1.1 |
1.0 |
(1.7) |
|
0.4 |
0.7 |
0.9 |
1.2 |
3.9 |
>401 |
34 (33.3) |
1.0 |
0.9 |
(1.6) |
|
0.2 |
0.7 |
0.9 |
1.1 |
4.0 |
Military rank |
Enlisted rank |
66 (64.7) |
1.3 |
1.0 |
(1.8) |
0.84 |
0.3 |
0.7 |
0.9 |
1.2 |
11.4 |
Noncommissioned officer |
16 (15.7) |
1.1 |
0.9 |
(2.0) |
|
0.2 |
0.8 |
1.0 |
1.1 |
2.7 |
Officer |
20 (19.6) |
1.2 |
1.0 |
(1.7) |
|
0.6 |
0.8 |
0.9 |
1.2 |
4.0 |
Division/brigade levelexposure (2 groups) |
Low |
51 (50.0) |
1.3 |
1.0 |
(1.8) |
0.67 |
0.3 |
0.7 |
0.9 |
1.3 |
11.1 |
High |
51 (50.0) |
1.2 |
0.9 |
(1.8) |
|
0.2 |
0.7 |
0.9 |
1.1 |
11.4 |
Division/brigade levelexposure (2 groups) |
No |
17 (16.7) |
1.6 |
1.0 |
(2.3) |
0.96 |
0.3 |
0.6 |
0.9 |
1.2 |
11.1 |
Low |
34 (33.3) |
1.1 |
1.0 |
(1.6) |
|
0.4 |
0.7 |
1.0 |
1.3 |
3.9 |
Moderate |
32 (31.4) |
1.0 |
0.9 |
(1.5) |
|
0.5 |
0.7 |
0.8 |
1.0 |
4.0 |
High |
19 (18.6) |
1.5 |
1.0 |
(2.3) |
|
0.2 |
0.7 |
0.9 |
1.2 |
11.4 |
Battalion/company level exposure (2 groups)2
|
Low |
47 (62.7) |
1.1 |
1.0 |
(1.7) |
0.93 |
0.3 |
0.7 |
0.9 |
1.3 |
4.0 |
High |
28 (37.3) |
1.4 |
1.0 |
(1.9) |
|
0.3 |
0.7 |
0.9 |
1.2 |
11.4 |
Battalion/company level exposure (4 groups)2
|
No |
15 (20.0) |
0.8 |
0.8 |
(1.6) |
0.30 |
0.3 |
0.6 |
0.7 |
1.1 |
1.8 |
Low |
32 (42.7) |
1.3 |
1.1 |
(1.7) |
|
0.4 |
0.8 |
1.0 |
1.4 |
4.0 |
Moderate |
18 (24.0) |
1.1 |
1.0 |
(1.6) |
|
0.5 |
0.7 |
1.0 |
1.2 |
2.7 |
High |
10 (13.3) |
1.9 |
1.0 |
(2.6) |
|
0.3 |
0.7 |
0.9 |
1.1 |
11.4 |
Perceived self-reported exposure (2 groups) |
Low |
56 (54.9) |
1.2 |
0.9 |
(1.8) |
0.61 |
0.3 |
0.7 |
0.9 |
1.2 |
11.1 |
High |
46 (45.1) |
1.3 |
1.0 |
(1.8) |
|
0.2 |
0.7 |
0.9 |
1.2 |
11.4 |
Perceived self-reported exposure (4 groups) |
No |
31 (30.4) |
1.2 |
0.9 |
(1.9) |
0.29 |
0.3 |
0.6 |
0.8 |
1.2 |
11.1 |
Low |
25 (24.5) |
1.2 |
1.1 |
(1.6) |
|
0.5 |
0.8 |
1.0 |
1.2 |
4.0 |
Moderate |
29 (28.4) |
1.0 |
0.9 |
(1.6) |
|
0.2 |
0.7 |
0.9 |
1.2 |
2.2 |
High |
17 (16.7) |
1.8 |
1.2 |
(2.2) |
|
0.6 |
0.7 |
1.0 |
1.1 |
11.4 |
Table 2.Correlation of exposure-related factors with serum TCDD levels
Factors |
n |
Log10TCDD (pg/g lipid) |
Pearson’s correlation coefficient |
p-value |
Division/brigade level exposure1
|
102 |
-0.06 |
0.52 |
Battalion/company level exposure1
|
75 |
0.06 |
0.61 |
Age as of June 1, 2001 |
102 |
-0.04 |
0.66 |
Body mass index (kg/m2) |
102 |
0.03 |
0.76 |
Smoking (pack-years) in current smokers |
41 |
0.14 |
0.38 |
Table 3.Multiple regression analysis for TCDD levels by characteristics in subjects (n=102)
Characteristics |
Classification |
Log10TCDD (pg/g lipid)
|
Characteristics |
Classification |
Log10TCDD (pg/g lipid)
|
10β
|
p-value |
R square |
10β
|
p-value |
R square |
Age (y) as of June 1, 2001 |
<54 |
0.76 |
0.21 |
0.1591
|
Battalion/company level exposure (4 groups)2
|
No |
REF |
|
|
54-56 |
REF |
|
|
Low |
1.58 |
0.03 |
|
≥57 |
0.94 |
0.8 |
|
Moderate |
1.28 |
0.32 |
|
Body mass index (kg/m2) |
<21 |
1.04 |
0.87 |
|
High |
1.45 |
0.27 |
|
21-24.9 |
REF |
|
|
Division/brigade level exposure (2 groups) |
Low |
REF |
|
0.0733
|
25-26.9 |
1.27 |
0.25 |
|
High |
1.27 |
0.27 |
|
≥27 |
1.03 |
0.90 |
|
Division/brigade level exposure (4 groups) |
No |
REF |
|
0.0733
|
Smoking |
Current |
0.97 |
0.89 |
|
Low |
1.00 |
0.99 |
|
Never |
REF |
|
|
Moderate |
1.25 |
0.44 |
|
Past |
0.82 |
0.33 |
|
High |
1.29 |
0.42 |
|
Military unit |
Combat |
REF |
|
|
Battalion/company level exposure (2 groups)2
|
Low |
REF |
|
0.0813
|
Support |
1.10 |
0.67 |
|
High |
0.97 |
0.88 |
|
First year of deployment |
1964-1967 |
0.97 |
0.92 |
|
Battalion/company level exposure (4 groups)2
|
No |
REF |
|
0.1593
|
1968-1969 |
0.90 |
0.68 |
|
Low |
1.58 |
0.03 |
|
1970-1973 |
REF |
|
|
Moderate |
1.28 |
0.32 |
|
Duration of deployment in Vietnam (d) |
≤358 |
REF |
|
|
High |
1.45 |
0.27 |
|
359-401 |
1.17 |
0.41 |
|
Perceived self-reported exposure (2 groups) |
Low |
REF |
|
0.0673
|
>401 |
1.11 |
0.59 |
|
High |
1.12 |
0.43 |
|
Military class |
Enlisted rank |
REF |
|
|
Perceived self-reported exposure (4 groups) |
No |
REF |
|
0.1293
|
Noncommis- sioned officer |
1.21 |
0.43 |
|
Low |
1.36 |
0.09 |
|
|
|
|
Moderate |
1.13 |
0.48 |
|
Officer |
1.23 |
0.39 |
|
High |
1.62 |
0.02 |
|
Table 4.Serum TCDD levels in selected populations
Authors |
Year of blood sampling |
Populations |
Exposure group |
n |
Serum TCDD levels (pg/g lipid)
|
Median |
Minimum-Maximum |
Mean |
SD |
This study |
2001 |
Korean Vietnam veterans |
Total |
102 |
0.9 |
0-11.4 |
1.2 |
1.5 |
No1
|
17 |
0.9 |
0-11.1 |
1.6 |
2.5 |
Low1
|
34 |
1.0 |
0.4-3.9 |
1.1 |
0.6 |
Moderate1
|
32 |
0.8 |
0.5-4.0 |
1.0 |
0.6 |
High1
|
19 |
0.9 |
0-11.4 |
1.5 |
2.4 |
Kim et al., 2001 [5] |
1996 |
Korean non-Vietnam veterans |
Non-Vietnam veterans |
1 (25)2
|
|
|
0.3 |
|
Korean Vietnam veterans |
Total |
12 (720)2
|
|
|
0.72 |
|
Group 1 |
3 (180)2
|
|
|
0.6 |
|
Group 2 |
3 (180)2
|
|
|
0.62 |
|
Group 3 |
3 (180)2
|
|
|
0.78 |
|
Group 4 |
3 (180)2
|
|
|
0.87 |
|
CDC, 1988 [3] |
1986-1987 |
US non-Vietnam veteran |
Control |
97 |
3.8 |
0-15 |
4.1 |
2.3 |
US Vietnam veterans |
Total |
646 |
3.8 |
0-45 |
4.2 |
2.6 |
Low |
298 |
3.9 |
|
|
|
Medium |
157 |
3.4 |
|
|
|
High |
191 |
3.8 |
|
|
|
Wolfe et al., 1990 [8] |
1987 |
US non-Vietnam Air Force veterans |
All personnel |
856 |
4.2 |
0-54.8 |
|
|
US Ranch Hand Vietnam veterans |
Total |
888 |
12.4 |
0-617.7 |
|
|
Flying officers (pilots) |
247 |
7.3 |
0-42.6 |
|
|
Flying officers (navigators) |
63 |
9.3 |
1.1-35.9 |
|
|
Non-flying officers |
19 |
6.6 |
3.1-24.9 |
|
|
Flying enlisted personnel |
152 |
17.2 |
0-195.5 |
|
|
Non-flying enlisted personnel |
407 |
23.6 |
0-617.7 |
|
|
Kang et al., 2006 [22] |
1999-2000 |
US Army Chemical Corps |
Non-Vietnam non-sprayers |
87 |
|
0.4-12.5 |
2.1 |
|
Non-Vietnam sprayers |
9 |
|
0.8-9.6 |
3.1 |
|
Vietnam non-sprayers |
413 |
|
0.6-27.7 |
2.7 |
|
Vietnam sprayers |
357 |
|
0.5-85.8 |
4.3 |
|
Needham et al., 1997 [33] |
1976 |
Seveso, Italy, population in 1976 |
Zone A (highly contaminated) |
296 |
447 |
1.5-56 000 |
|
|
Zone B (moderately contaminated) |
80 |
94 |
1-725 |
|
|
Zone R (minimally contaminated) |
48 |
48 |
1-545 |
|
|
Fingerhut et al., 1991 [6] |
1988 |
US TCDD-contaminated production |
Exposed workers |
253 |
|
2-3400 |
233 |
|
Workers |
Non-exposed controls |
79 |
|
<20 |
7 |
|