Exposure from the Chernobyl accident had adverse effects on erythrocytes, leukocytes, and, platelets in children in the Narodichesky region, Ukraine: A 6-year follow-up study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>After the Chernobyl nuclear accident on April 26, 1986, all children in the contaminated territory of the Narodichesky region, Zhitomir Oblast, Ukraine, were obliged to participate in a yearly medical examination. We present the results from these examinations for the years 1993 to 1998. Since the hematopoietic system is an important target, we investigated the association between residential soil density of ¹³⁷Caesium (¹³⁷Cs) and hemoglobin concentration, and erythrocyte, platelet, and leukocyte counts in 1,251 children, using 4,989 repeated measurements taken from 1993 to 1998.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Soil contamination measurements from 38 settlements were used as exposures. Blood counts were conducted using the same auto-analyzer in all investigations for all years. We used linear mixed models to compensate for the repeated measurements of each child over the six year period. We estimated the adjusted means for all markers, controlling for potential confounders.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Data show a statistically significant reduction in red and white blood cell counts, platelet counts and hemoglobin with increasing residential ¹³⁷Cs soil contamination. Over the six-year observation period, hematologic markers did improve. In children with the higher exposure who were born before the accident, this improvement was more pronounced for platelet counts, and less for red blood cells and hemoglobin. There was no exposure×time interaction for white blood cell counts and not in 702 children who were born after the accident. The initial exposure gradient persisted in this sub-sample of children.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The study is the first longitudinal analysis from a large cohort of children after the Chernobyl accident. The findings suggest persistent adverse hematological effects associated with residential ¹³⁷Cs exposure.</p

Individual whole-body concentration of (137)Cesium is associated with decreased blood counts in children in the Chernobyl-contaminated areas, Ukraine, 2008-2010.

The Narodichesky region, Zhitomir Oblast, Ukraine, is situated ∼80 km from the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, which exploded in 1986 and polluted the environment. A previous study found that children living in villages with high activity of (137)Cesium (Cs) in the soil had decreased levels of hemoglobin, erythrocytes and thrombocytes. These findings motivated the present study that used a more comprehensive exposure assessment, including individual whole-body concentrations (WBC) of (137)Cs (Bq/kg). This cross-sectional sample examined between 2008-2010, included 590 children in the age 0-18 years. Children with higher individual log(WBC) activity in the body had significantly decreased hemoglobin, erythrocyte and thrombocyte counts. The effect of log(WBC) on decreased thrombocyte count was only seen in children older than 12 years. The average village activity of (137)Cs (kBq/m(2)) in soil was associated with decreased blood counts only indirectly, through (137)Cs in the body as an intermediate variable. Children in this study were born at least 4 years after the accident and thus exposed to low doses of ionizing radiation from (137)Cs. This cross-sectional study indicates that low levels may be associated with decreased blood counts, but we cannot exclude that these results are due to residual confounding factors.Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology advance online publication, 25 September 2013; doi:10.1038/jes.2013.60

Dietary supplementation with radionuclide free food improves children\u27s health following community exposure to \u3csup\u3e137\u3c/sup\u3eCesium: A prospective study

Background: Following the Chernobyl nuclear disaster of 1986, vast areas of Ukraine became contaminated with radionuclides. We examined health effects of school-based food intervention for children in a rural region Narodichi, Ukraine, exposed to low-level radiation through diet of locally produced foods. Until 1995, children received three daily meals with low content of artificial radionuclides which were subsequently reduced to two. Methods: Annual health screening data (1993-1998) were examined using a quasi-experimental regression discontinuity analysis (n = 947 children; 3,573 repeated measurements). Generalized Estimating Equation models evaluated effect of the food supplementation reduction on hematologic measures and prevalence of anemia, acute respiratory illnesses and diseases of immune system. Results: Prior improvement of several hematologic parameters diminished after food supplementation was reduced. From 1995 to 1996, levels of hemoglobin and erythrocytes decreased from 12.63 (95 % CI: 12.56-12.71) to 12.46 g/dL (% CI: 12.39-12.52) and from 4.10 (95 % CI: 4.07-4.12) to 4.02 (95 % CI: 4.00-4.04) × 1012/L, respectively. In agreement, the prevalence ratio (PR) of previously declining anemia increased from 0.57 to 1.31 per year (pinteraction \u3c .0001). The relation between food supplementation and hemoglobin levels was modified by residential 137Cs soil levels. After food supply reduction, PR of common cold and bronchitis increased from 1.27 to 2.32 per year (pinteraction = 0.01) and from 1.09 to 1.24 per year (pinteraction = 0.43), respectively. Conclusions: Food supplementation provided by the Ukrainian government likely prevented development of anemia in many of the children residing in the contaminated district. Food supplementation after the community exposure to radioactivity through a diet of locally grown foods should be considered as an effective approach to reduce adverse health effects of radiation

Additional file 1: of Dietary supplementation with radionuclide free food improves children's health following community exposure to 137Cesium: a prospective study

Adjusted mean blood indices in 1993–1995. a) Adjusted mean (95 % CI) blood leukocyte count (×109/L). b) Adjusted mean (95 % CI) blood neutrophil count (×109/L). c) Adjusted mean (95%CI) blood lymphocyte count (×109/L). d) Adjusted mean (95 % CI) blood monocyte count (×109/L). e) Adjusted mean (95 % CI) blood platelet count (×109/L). f) Adjusted mean (95 % CI) blood eosinophil count (×109/L). g) Adjusted mean (95 % CI) blood basophil count (×109/L). h) Adjusted mean (95 % CI) blood neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio. i) Adjusted mean (95 % CI) blood platelet/lymphocyte ratio. j) Adjusted mean (95 % CI) serum IgA concentration (g/L). k) Adjusted mean (95 % CI) serum IgG concentration (g/L). l) Adjusted mean (95 % CI) serum IgM concentration (g/L). (PDF 244 kb

Additional file 2: of Dietary supplementation with radionuclide free food improves children's health following community exposure to 137Cesium: a prospective study

Prevalence of various diseases in 1993–1995. a) Chronic lymphadenitis. b) Chronic tonsillitis or hypertrophy of tonsils with adenoids. c) Allergy. d) Atopic dermatitis. (PDF 97 kb

Reduced lung function in children associated with cesium 137 body burden

RATIONALE: We previously reported that obstructive and restrictive lung function findings were associated with radioactive Cesium 137 ((137)Cs) soil contamination from the 1986 Chernobyl disaster in a pediatric cohort residing in the Narodichesky district of Ukraine from 1993 to 1998. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether these associations persist, we repeated the study and refined the exposure by measuring individual radiation concentration with a whole-body counter. METHODS: Basic and post-bronchodilator spirometry measurements were made for 517 children aged 8 to 17 years born in and living within this differentially contaminated study area during 2008 to 2010. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A γ-spectrometer equipped with a collimator was used for the measurement of whole-body radiation and adjusted for weight. General linear and logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between spirometry measures and the weight-adjusted (137)Cs whole-body burden (Bq/kg) while controlling for potential confounders. The geometric median weight-adjusted radiation concentration was 65.96 Bq/kg (95% confidence interval, 14.98-240.9 Bq/kg), equivalent to a geometric mean internal dose estimate of 0.165 mSv/yr (95% confidence interval, 0.037-0.602 mSv/yr). Decrements in percentage predicted FEV1/FVC and an increased odds of bronchodilator responsiveness, restrictive impairment, and FVC less than lower limit of normal were associated with a log increase in weight-adjusted (137)Cs whole-body burden after adjusting for potential confounders. CONCLUSIONS: Our previous study of soil (137)Cs exposure and reduced lung function was corroborated herein with individual (137)Cs whole-body burden, although low, and annual internal dose data. Children in a region just outside of the closed Chernobyl contamination zone continued to have respiratory health deficits associated with (137)Cs whole-body burden as recently as 2010