Table 7 Unadjusted and adjusted mean decline in hand‐grip strength over 25 years (1965–68 to 1991–93) and linear regression coefficients by occupational intensity score categories at exam IV (1965–68).
| Unadjusted | Risk factor adjusted* | Risk factor adjusted† | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n | Mean (SD) | Coeff/SE | Mean (SE) | Coeff/SE | Mean (SE) | Coeff/SE | |
| Pesticide | |||||||
| Zero | 3263 | 9.3 (5.8) | −0.003/0.006 | 9.3 (0.1) | −0.0121/0.005 | 9.2 (0.1) | −0.0056/0.005 |
| Low | 64 | 9.2 (6.5) | 8.6 (0.7) | 8.1 (0.6) | |||
| Medium | 119 | 8.9 (6.5) | 8.3 (0.5) | 8.6 (0.5) | |||
| High | 66 | 9.4 (4.3) | 8.7 (0.7) | 9.3 (0.6) | |||
| p for trend | 0.621 | 0.027 | 0.256 | ||||
| Solvent | |||||||
| Zero | 1697 | 9.2 (5.8) | 0.004/0.004 | 9.1 (0.1) | 0.0038/0.004 | 9.2 (0.1) | 0.0029/0.003 |
| Low | 1144 | 9.3 (5.9) | 9.2 (0.2) | 9.1 (0.2) | |||
| Medium | 484 | 9.8 (5.7) | 9.6 (0.3) | 9.4 (0.2) | |||
| High | 187 | 9.2 (5.9) | 9.0 (0.4) | 9.2 (0.4) | |||
| p for trend | 0.249 | 0.289 | 0.360 | ||||
| Metal | |||||||
| Zero | 2074 | 9.2 (5.9) | 0.006/0.004 | 9.1 (0.1) | 0.0054/0.004 | 9.2 (0.1) | 0.0004/0.004 |
| Low | 1038 | 9.2 (5.6) | 9.2 (0.2) | 9.1 (0.2) | |||
| Medium | 318 | 10.2 (6.0) | 9.8 (0.3) | 9.4 (0.3) | |||
| High | 82 | 9.3 (5.9) | 9.2 (0.6) | 9.2 (0.5) | |||
| p for trend | 0.160 | 0.227 | 0.916 | ||||
| Manganese | |||||||
| Zero | 2786 | 9.3 (5.9) | 0.004/0.005 | 9.2 (0.1) | 0.0015/0.005 | 9.3 (0.1) | −0.0033/0.005 |
| Low | 392 | 9.4 (5.9) | 9.1 (0.3) | 8.9 (0.3) | |||
| Medium | 147 | 9.5 (5.1) | 9.5 (0.5) | 9.2 (0.4) | |||
| High | 59 | 9.5 (6.4) | 9.2 (0.7) | 9.0 (0.6) | |||
| p for trend | 0.504 | 0.778 | 0.472 | ||||
| Mercury | |||||||
| Zero | 2889 | 9.3 (5.9) | 0.004/0.009 | 9.2 (0.1) | 0.0030/0.009 | 9.2 (0.1) | 0.0012/0.008 |
| Low | 157 | 9.5 (5.0) | 9.7 (0.4) | 9.3 (0.4) | |||
| Medium | 195 | 8.7 (5.7) | 8.7 (0.4) | 8.8 (0.4) | |||
| High | 143 | 9.8 (5.6) | 9.5 (0.5) | 9.5 (0.4) | |||
| p for trend | 0.647 | 0.726 | 0.876 | ||||
CASI score, education, and haemoglobin levels were assess at exam IV; all other covariates were assessed at exam I.
*Adjusted for coffee consumption, physical activity, BMI, glucose, cognitive score (CASI score), haemoglobin, and education.
†Adjusted for coffee consumption, physical activity, BMI, glucose, cognitive score (CASI score), haemoglobin, education, and hand‐grip strength at exam 1.
Decline in hand‐grip strength = hand‐grip strength at exam I minus hand‐grip strength at exam IV.
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.