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The Monographs produced by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) apply rigorous procedures for the scientific review and evaluation of carcinogenic hazards by independent experts. The Preamble to the IARC Monographs, which outlines these procedures, was updated in 2019, following recommendations of a 2018 expert advisory group. This article presents the key features of the updated Preamble, a major milestone that will enable IARC to take advantage of recent scientific and procedural advances made during the 12 years since the last Preamble amendments. The updated Preamble formalizes important developments already being pioneered in the Monographs program. These developments were taken forward in a clarified and strengthened process for identifying, reviewing, evaluating, and integrating evidence to identify causes of human cancer. The advancements adopted include the strengthening of systematic review methodologies; greater emphasis on mechanistic evidence, based on key characteristics of carcinogens; greater consideration of quality and informativeness in the critical evaluation of epidemiological studies, including their exposure assessment methods; improved harmonization of evaluation criteria for the different evidence streams; and a single-step process of integrating evidence on cancer in humans, cancer in experimental animals, and mechanisms for reaching overall evaluations. In all, the updated Preamble underpins a stronger and more transparent method for the identification of carcinogenic hazards, the essential first step in cancer prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mental disorders in the workplace are a major public health problem. Knowledge of the impact of the psychosocial work environment on mental and behavioral disorders can assist occupational physicians in the identification and description of occupational risk situations, and help to define priority actions. However, no classification for occupational exposure factors is currently available. We aimed to build a thesaurus of “Organizational, Relational, Ethical and other Contributing Factors” (FOREC) linked with the onset of mental and behavioral disorders. Methods: The French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES) initiated and supervised a multidisciplinary working group consisting of the representatives of the main French occupational and public health actors. All decisions were accepted on a consensus basis. This collaborative work led to the classification of occupational exposure factors for mental and behavioral disorders in the workplace. To test this thesaurus in clinical practice, a French multicenter study was implemented. Patients were workers referred to the Occupational Disease Centers for mental health issues at work. Factors contributing to mental and behavioral disorders among workers were identified and coded retrospectively from the worker’s point of view using the FOREC thesaurus. Results: We recruited 323 workers, aged 44.9±9.2 years, of which 31.3% were men. The most commonly encountered disorders were generalized anxiety disorders (106 workers, 32.8%) and moderate depressive episodes (86 workers, 26.7%). We identified 1357 factors, i.e. an average of 4.2 factors per worker. Among them, 575 (42.4%) were relational and 515 (37.9%) were organizational. All factors identified during consultations were described in the thesaurus. Conclusions: We built the first thesaurus of “Organizational, Relational, Ethical and other Contributing Factors” (FOREC) that may help to generate profiles of mental and behavioral disorders at work. Encoding and describing these exposure factors, as well as using a worldwide standardized and shared terminology, will help to identify specific workplace prevention programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives A case–control study was carried out to investigate the relation between primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) and occupational exposure. Methods One hundred seventy five cases of pSS followed up into the internal medicine departments of three French university hospitals from 2010 to 2013 were included. For each case, two age and gender matched controls were selected during the same period in the same departments. Occupational exposure was assessed retrospectively by industrial hygienists and occupational practitioners. Exposure to occupational factors such as organic solvents or silica was investigated using semiquantitative estimates of exposure. An exposure score was calculated for each subject based on probability, intensity, daily frequency, and duration of exposure for each period of employment. The final cumulative exposure score was obtained, taking into account all periods of employment. Results Significant associations with pSS were observed for dichloromethane (OR 9.28, 95%CI 2.60–33.03), perchlorethylene (OR 2.64, 95%CI 1.20–5.77) chlorinated solvents (OR 2.95, 95%CI 1.77–4.93), benzene (OR 3.30, 95%CI 1.07–10.26), toluene (OR 4.18 95%CI 1.41–12.43), white spirit (OR 3.60, 95%CI 1.39–9.33), aromatic solvents (OR 3.03, 95%CI 1.41–6.50) and any types of solvents (OR 2.76, 95%CI 1.70–4.47). Risk of pSS was significantly associated with a high cumulative exposure score of occupational exposure to toluene (OR 4.69, 95%CI 1.42–15.45), white spirit (OR 3.30, 95%CI 1.07–10.26), aromatic solvents (OR 2.50, 95%CI 1.06–5.91) and any types of solvents (OR 2.25, 95%CI 1.20–4.22). Conclusion This work suggests the influence of occupational risk factors in the occurrence of pSS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to establish a basis for the use of a device for measuring vibrotactile perception thresholds for epidemiological purposes on a series of non-exposed populations. Vibrotactile perception thresholds (VPTs) were measured with a vibrometer in 218 men and 160 women belonging to two non-exposed male blue collar populations, one white-collar population and one age and gender stratified sample of the general population. VPTs were measured on the middle and the little finger of the dominant hand at 31.5 and 125 Hz. The VPTs were expressed in dB and the effect of a series of factors including the population, age, gender and digital temperature was assessed in a regression analysis weighted by the inverse variance of the measurements. Adjusted for age, no significant difference between the VPTs in the four male populations was observed. At frequency 125 Hz, the effect of age (0.3 dB per year) was more important than at frequency 31.5 Hz (0.2 dB per year). In the two female populations, the results were less stable than among males and the VPTs were higher than among males. However, the age-dependence was similar among males and females. The within-test variance is a valuable indicator of the quality of the VPT measurements. Weighting by its inverse improved the fit of the regression models. Normal values for VPTs in non-exposed populations were obtained, which were reproducible in four separate populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Monographs produced by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) apply rigorous procedures for the scientific review and evaluation of carcinogenic hazards by independent experts. The Preamble to the IARC Monographs, which outlines these procedures, was updated in 2019, following recommendations of a 2018 expert advisory group. This article presents the key features of the updated Preamble, a major milestone that will enable IARC to take advantage of recent scientific and procedural advances made during the 12 years since the last Preamble amendments. The updated Preamble formalizes important developments already being pioneered in the Monographs program. These developments were taken forward in a clarified and strengthened process for identifying, reviewing, evaluating, and integrating evidence to identify causes of human cancer. The advancements adopted include the strengthening of systematic review methodologies; greater emphasis on mechanistic evidence, based on key characteristics of carcinogens; greater consideration of quality and informativeness in the critical evaluation of epidemiological studies, including their exposure assessment methods; improved harmonization of evaluation criteria for the different evidence streams; and a single-step process of integrating evidence on cancer in humans, cancer in experimental animals, and mechanisms for reaching overall evaluations. In all, the updated Preamble underpins a stronger and more transparent method for the identification of carcinogenic hazards, the essential first step in cancer prevention., (© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press.)

Aims: To describe cardiovascular risk factors and metabolic disturbances in a French population including shift workers and study whether possible changes were noticeable after non-shift to shift work transition within the last five years., Methods: The study population included 4764 attendees of two health examinations (5 years apart), between January 1996 and October 2008, in 11 health examination centres. Clinical, biological and metabolic factors together with their changes over a five-year period were compared between attendees who kept a non-shift daytime job, those who kept working shift and those who switched from non-shift daytime to shift work over the last 5 years., Results: At baseline, working shift was, independently of lifestyle or BMI, significantly related to more elevated plasma triglycerides (β=0.04, P=0.05) and rate of hypertriglyceridemia (β=0.27, P=0.01), lower plasma HDL-C levels (β=-2.03, P=0.006) and less hypertension (β=-0.25, P=0.01) compared to non-shift daytime work. In men, a slightly more elevated yet non significant proportion of hypertriglyceridemia was observed with the transition from non-shift daytime to shift work within the last 5 years in comparison to men who kept a non-shift daytime job (13.9% vs. 11.0% P=0.17)., Conclusion: Our results are in agreement with previous studies showing a deleterious effect of shift work on lipid metabolism. In our population, triglycerides and HDL-C levels were the main parameters negatively influenced by shift work. Consequently, a regular biological monitoring together with the promotion of healthy behaviours should be provided to shift workers before negative consequences of working shift become noticeable., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Aim: Shift work, especially including a night shift, is associated with degradation of physical, social and psychosocial health as well as poor well-being. Food imbalance and low physical activity contributed to the negative effects on health. Our objective was to promote a healthier nutritional behaviour according to the French national nutrition and health program recommendations (PNNS)., Methods: A one-year nutritional intervention with personalised dietetic counselling was proposed to 235 shift workers with night shift who came for a health prevention exam in one of the centres of the Institut Inter-Régional pour la Santé between 2009 and 2011. The intervention was three dietary interviews: at baseline with definition of goal setting, at 3 months for advice and support and at one-year for the evaluation. At 6 months, a personalised reminder letter was send. Compliance with the PNNS recommendations and level of physical activity were evaluated at baseline and at one-year by a self-administered questionnaire. Changes between baseline and follow-up were compared by paired t-tests or McNemar-tests., Results: The rate of follow-up was 57.4%. At the end of the study, subjects improved their compliance with PNNS guidelines concerning sweetened products (P<0.001), water (P=0.02) and salt (P=0.05), increased their leisure physical activity (P=0.001) and decreased their daily energy intakes (P<0.001)., Conclusion: A structured intervention can improve nutritional behaviours of shift workers. This intervention enabled to inform and alert on the risk related to this work schedule and promote better nutritional behaviours., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Psychosocial risk is an emerging hazard in occupational health, also present in the agricultural sector with specific particularities. It is not limited to occupational stress, of which the prevalence is 28 percent in Europe, but also involves the risk of mental distress associated with the professional activity. The French and European regulations now require that work conditions, work organization, as well as mental health be taken into consideration in occupational risk assessment. In companies, the external violence with the public and internal violence among employees are considered. A global approach makes it possible to repair or to limit the effects on individuals but also to act on the source. In the agricultural environment, psychosocial risk is regularly studied and various appropriate prevention methods are implemented as far ahead of the risk as possible. An evaluation survey on stress level as well as a management protocol for workplace assault victims are presented.

Objective: To investigate a potential association between occupational risk factors and severity markers of systemic sclerosis (SSc) defined by diffuse cutaneous extent, pulmonary involvement, and immunologic profile, i.e., presence of antitopoisomerase I antibody (anti-topo I)., Methods: Occupational exposures were assessed in 105 patients with SSc from 1998 to 2002. Exposures to silica dust, welding fumes, solvents, and epoxy resins were investigated. A group of 39 exposed SSc patients and a group of 66 unexposed ones were identified and compared according to severity markers of SSc. The stage of cutaneous extent was defined according to the classification of Leroy, as limited scleroderma (lSSc) or diffuse scleroderma (dSSc). Respiratory status was defined by pulmonary function tests and high resolution computed tomography. Immunological profile was determined by the presence of anti-topo I or anticentromere antibodies (ACA). Statistical relationships between occupational exposures and severity markers of SSc were evaluated using a multiple correspondence analysis and Fisher's exact test., Results: Diffuse scleroderma affected mainly patients exposed during their occupational life to toxic agents. There were significant or close to significant associations between toxic exposure and dSSc (p = 0.06), pulmonary involvement (p = 0.10), and negative ACA (p = 0.03). The most incriminated products seemed to be epoxy resins (p = 0.06), white spirit (p = 0.07), aromatic solvents (p = 0.07), and silica coupled to welding fumes (p = 0.10)., Conclusion: Our results indicate that occupational toxic factors have an influence on the severity of SSc.