Occupational Studies There have been a number of studies examining cardiac
outcomes in people exposed occupationally to diesel exhaust and other traffic-related
pollutants. Taken as a whole, these studies indicate that professional drivers are at
greater risk for cardiovascular disease than other occupations. The magnitude of the
contribution of traffic emissions is uncertain because these studies have lacked exposure
measurements.
Tuchsen and Endahl (1999) described an excess of ischemic heart disease in Danish bus
drivers. Employed men in Denmark aged 20–59 years old in 1981, 1986, and 1991 were
classified according to occupation, and followed from 1981 to 1985, 1986 to 1990, and 1991
to 1993. All hospitalizations were identified using national records and ischemic heart
disease rates in bus drivers were compared to rates for all employed men. In 1981–1985, the
ischemic heart disease admission risk for bus drivers was significantly increased (standardized
hospital admission ratio ¼ 1.41; 95% CI ¼ 1.20–1.65), and the risk increased
throughout the study period. Hannerz and Tuchsen (2001) subsequently examined hospital
admission rates for all Danish male professional drivers through 1997 and reported elevated
ischemic heart disease rates for both taxi and bus drivers