Occupational Exposures and Movement Abnormalities among Japanese-American Men: The Honolulu-Asia Aging Study

Abstract

Objective: The authors analyzed data on 1,049 men aged 71–93 years (excluding those with prevalent Parkinson’s disease and stroke) from the Honolulu Heart Program (1965–1968) and the Honolulu-Asia Aging Study (1991–1999) to determine whether occupational exposures to pesticides, solvents, metals, manganese, and mercury during middle age were associated with 14 movement abnormalities 25 years later. Methods: Analyses of variance and multivariate logistic regression were used to assess associations of interest. Results: After adjustment for age, BMI, cognitive functioning, smoking, alcohol drinking, education, and physical activity, there was a positive association between abnormal ‘facial expression’ and the highest exposure to metals [odds ratio (OR) = 2.62; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.35–5.11; trend, p = 0.02], and the highest exposure to mercury (OR = 1.91; 95% CI = 1.04–3.49; trend, p = 0.03). Age was positively associated with all movement abnormalities, and cognitive function, body mass index and physical activity were inversely associated with most movement abnormalities. Conclusion: Higher exposure to any metal, and specifically mercury, was associated with abnormal facial expression.