Table 1.

Selected characteristics of pilots and comparison subjects

Characteristic	Pilots (n = 83)	Comparison group (n = 50)
Age at blood draw in years	46.7 (5.3), 37−55*	45.8 (5.0), 36−56
Body mass index in kg/m2	26.5 (2.9), 20.2−35.1	26.7 (3.3), 20.4−39.0
Cigarette smoking
Never	67 (80.7%)†	43 (86.0%)
Ever	16 (19.3%)	7 (14.0%)‡
Pack-years§	8.0 (9.7), 0.1−36	2.8 (3.6), 0.2−9
Drink alcohol
No	4 (4.8%)	5 (10.0%)
Yes	79 (95.2%)	45 (90.0%)
Amount in g/day	11.4 (7.4), 1.3−34.9	14.6 (24.3), 0.8−162.7
Recreational activities past year
Vigorous activities¶ (no. of months)	10.1 (3.4), 0−12	7.4 (5.2), 0−12
Family history of cancer (no. first degree relatives)
None	39 (50.0%)	24 (50.0%)
One	35 (44.9%)	21 (43.8%)
Two or more	4 (5.1%)	3 (6.2%)
Unknown	5	2
Cumulative red bone marrow x ray dose score
<0.5	33 (39.8%)	27 (54.0%)
0.5−1.9	39 (47.0%)	16 (32.0%)
≥2.0	11 (13.3%)	7 (14.0%)

^*Mean (SD), range

^†n (%)

^‡includes one current smoker with 1.75 pack-years

^§packs of cigarettes smoked/day multiplied by years of smoking

^¶vigorous activities include sports, exercise class, swimming, heavy labour or any physical exertion that involves sweating.