J Korean Med Sci.  2006 Jun;21(3):385-390. 10.3346/jkms.2006.21.3.385.

Non-cancer Diseases of Korean Atomic Bomb Survivors in Residence at Hapcheon, Republic of Korea

• Ju YS
• Jhun HJ
• Kim JB
• Kim JK

• KMID: 1778416
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2006.21.3.385

Abstract

Many Koreans, in addition to Japanese, were killed or injured by the atomic bombs detonated over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, in 1945. Our study examined noncancer diseases of Korean A-bomb survivors in residence at Hapcheon, Republic of Korea and evaluated whether they had significantly higher prevalence of noncancer diseases than non-exposed people. We evaluated a number of tests, including anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, blood chemistry, hepatitis B surface antigen, and urinalysis, of survivors (n=223) and controls (n=372). Univariate analysis revealed significantly lower fasting glucose and creatinine, and higher diastolic blood pressure, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and blood urea nitrogen levels in the survivors than in the controls. The calculation of crude prevalence ratios (PRs) revealed that A-bomb survivors had a significantly higher prevalence of hypertension (PR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.00-1.35) and chronic liver disease (2.20; 1.59-3.06) than controls. After adjusting for covariates (age, sex, body mass index, marital status, education, alcohol consumption, and smoking), A-bomb survivors had a significantly higher prevalence of hypertension (1.24; 1.06-1.44), chronic liver disease (2.07; 1.51-2.84), and hypercholesterolemia (1.79; 1.11-2.90) than controls. This study suggests that A-bomb exposure is associated with a higher prevalence of non-cancer diseases in Korean survivors.

Keyword

Accidents, Radiation; Radiation Injuries; Abnormalities, Radiation-Induced; Atomic Bomb; Korean Survivors; Non-cancer Diseases

MeSH Terms

Survivors
Radioactive Fallout
Radiation Injuries/diagnosis/*epidemiology
Nuclear Warfare
Neoplasms
Middle Aged
Male
Korea
Japan
Humans
Female
Aged, 80 and over
Aged
Abnormalities, Radiation-Induced

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