Research

Hazardous waste sites and stroke in New York State

Ivan Shcherbatykh^1,4 , Xiaoyu Huang² , Lawrence Lessner^2,3 and David O Carpenter^1,3

¹  Department of Environmental Health and Toxicology, School of Public Health, University at Albany, SUNY, One University Place, A217, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA

²  Department of Biometry and Statistics, School of Public Health, University at Albany, SUNY, One University Place, A217, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA

³  Institute for Health and the Environment, University at Albany, SUNY, One University Place, A217, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA

⁴  McMaster University, Centre for Evaluation of Medicines, 105 Main St. E., P1 Level, Hamilton, Ontario L8N 1G6, Canada

author email corresponding author email

Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source 2005, 4:18doi:10.1186/1476-069X-4-18

Published:	29 August 2005

Abstract

Background -

Environmental exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) may lead to elevation of serum lipids, increasing risk of atherosclerosis with thromboembolism, a recognized cause of stroke. We tested the hypothesis that exposure to contaminants from residence near hazardous waste sites in New York State influences the occurrence of stroke.

Methods -

The rates of stroke hospital discharges were compared among residents of zip codes containing hazardous waste sites with POPs, other pollutants or without any waste sites using information for 1993–2000 from the New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System (SPARCS) database, containing the records of all discharge diagnoses for patients admitted to state-regulated hospitals.

Results -

After adjustment for age and race, the hospitalization rate for stroke in zip codes with POPs-contaminated sites was 15% higher than in zip codes without any documented hazardous waste sites (RR 1.15, 95% CI, 1.05, 1.26). For ischemic stroke only, the RR was 1.17 (95% CI 1.04, 1.31). Residents of zip codes containing other waste sites showed a RR of 1.13 (95% CI, 1.02, 1.24) as compared to zip codes without an identified waste site.

Conclusion -

These results suggest that living near a source of POPs contamination constitutes a risk of exposure and an increased risk of acquiring cerebrovascular disease. However further research with better control of individual risk factors and direct measurement of exposure is necessary for providing additional support for this hypothesis.