Mortality from cancer and ischemic heart disease in Danish chimney sweeps: a five-year follow-up

A mortality study of 713 male chimney sweeps in Denmark was performed. The observed number of deaths in 1970-1975 was compared with the expected number, calculated from cohort, period, and cause-specific death rates for employed Danish males. A total of 38 deaths was observed compared with the 18.3 deaths expected (p less than 0.01). Cancer accounted for 12 deaths versus 5.3 expected (p less than 0.05), ischemic heart disease for 12 deaths versus 5.4 expected (p less than 0.05), and residual causes for 14 deaths versus 7.6 expected (p less than 0.05). The excess mortality was exclusively due to cancer and ischemic heart disease among chimney sweeps in the older age group (45-74 years), whereas a high mortality due to other causes was observed among the younger sweeps (15-44 years). It is concluded that heavy inhalation exposure to products from the combustion of fossil fuel leads to an increased individual risk of cancer and ischemic heart disease and substantially reduces the time until occurrence of these diseases.