Table 6 Unadjusted and adjusted mean hand‐grip strength (kg) at exam IV (1991–93) and linear regression coefficients by occupational intensity score categories at exam I (1965–68).
| Unadjusted | Risk factor adjusted* | Risk factor adjusted† | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n | Mean (SD) | Coeff/SE | Mean (SE) | Coeff/SE | Mean (SE) | Coeff/SE | |
| Pesticide | |||||||
| Zero | 3266 | 30.3 (6.7) | −0.022/0.007 | 30.4 (0.1) | −0.0032/0.006 | 30.4 (0.1) | 0.0053/0.005 |
| Low | 64 | 31.2 (7.0) | 32.3 (0.7) | 31.6 (0.6) | |||
| Medium | 119 | 29.4 (7.9) | 30.7 (0.6) | 31.1 (0.5) | |||
| High | 66 | 27.6 (5.6) | 29.3 (0.7) | 30.2 (0.6) | |||
| p for trend | <0.001 | 0.580 | 0.275 | ||||
| Solvent | |||||||
| Zero | 1699 | 30.3 (6.7) | −0.010/0.004 | 30.3 (0.1) | −0.0013/0.004 | 30.4 (0.1) | −0.0026/0.003 |
| Low | 1145 | 30.5 (6.8) | 30.7 (0.2) | 30.6 (0.2) | |||
| Medium | 484 | 29.9 (7.0) | 30.5 (0.3) | 30.3 (0.2) | |||
| High | 187 | 29.4 (6.4) | 30.2 (0.4) | 30.5 (0.4) | |||
| p for trend | 0.014 | 0.730 | 0.414 | ||||
| Metal | |||||||
| Zero | 2076 | 30.3 (6.8) | −0.004/0.005 | 30.3 (0.1) | 0.0065/0.005 | 30.4 (0.1) | −0.0001/0.004 |
| Low | 1039 | 30.4 (6.6) | 30.7 (0.2) | 30.5 (0.2) | |||
| Medium | 318 | 30.1 (6.9) | 30.9 (0.3) | 30.3 (0.3) | |||
| High | 82 | 29.6 (6.7) | 30.5 (0.7) | 30.5 (0.5) | |||
| p for trend | 0.441 | 0.168 | 0.984 | ||||
| Manganese | |||||||
| Zero | 2788 | 30.3 (6.8) | 0.004/0.006 | 30.4 (0.1) | 0.0102/0.005 | 30.5 (0.1) | 0.0038/0.005 |
| Low | 392 | 30.6 (6.9) | 31.2 (0.3) | 30.9 (0.3) | |||
| Medium | 147 | 30.7 (6.4) | 30.9 (0.5) | 30.6 (0.4) | |||
| High | 59 | 30.4 (6.8) | 31.1 (0.8) | 30.8 (0.6) | |||
| p for trend | 0.554 | 0.063 | 0.409 | ||||
| Mercury | |||||||
| Zero | 2891 | 30.3 (6.9) | −0.004/0.011 | 30.5 (0.1) | 0.0022/0.009 | 30.5 (0.1) | −0.0007/0.008 |
| Low | 157 | 31.1 (6.0) | 31.0 (0.5) | 30.5 (0.4) | |||
| Medium | 195 | 30.6 (6.5) | 30.9 (0.4) | 31.0 (0.4) | |||
| High | 143 | 29.8 (6.2) | 30.3 (0.5) | 30.2 (0.4) | |||
| p for trend | 0.700 | 0.814 | 0.929 | ||||
CASI score, education, and haemoglobin levels were assessed at exam IV; all other covariates were assessed at exam I.
*Adjusted for coffee consumption, physical activity, BMI, glucose, cognitive function (CASI score), education, haemoglobin, arthritis, and forearm fracture.
†Adjusted for coffee consumption, physical activity, BMI, glucose, cognitive function (CASI score), education, haemoglobin, arthritis, forearm fracture, and hand‐grip strength at exam I.
Categories for mercury intensity scores are 0, 1–20, 21–30, ⩾31; categories for the four other intensity scores are 0, 1–39, 40–79, ⩾80.
Coeff, parameter estimate from linear regression models; SE, standard error.
p for trend obtained from linear regression models.