Table 1 Summary of large cohort studies about formaldehyde and leukemia

Coggon et al. [40]

14,014 workers at factories

1941–2000

Leukemia: 31 deaths

SMR 0.91 (0.62–1.29)

Leukemia: 8 deaths

SMR 0.71 (0.31–1.39)

All subjects

High exposure ≥2.0 ppm group

Coggon et al. [43]

Update of Coggon et al.

1941–2012

Leukemia: 54 deaths

SMR 1.02 (0.77–1.33)

Myeloid Leukemia: 36 deaths

SMR 1.20 (0.84–1.66)

Leukemia: 13 deaths

SMR 0.82 (0.44–1.41)

Myeloid Leukemia: 8 deaths

SMR 0.93 (0.40–1.82)

All subjects

High exposure ≥2.0 ppm group

Hauptmann et al. [41]

25,619 workers at factories

1966–1994

Leukemia: 29 deaths

RR 2.46 (1.31–4.62)

Myeloid Leukemia: 14 deaths

RR 3.46 (1.27–9.43)

Peak exposure ≥4.0 ppm group

Compared low peak exposure (0.1–1.9 ppm)

35 years of median length of follow-up

Beane Freeman et al. [44]

Update of Hauptmann et al.

1966–2004

Leukemia: 48 deaths

RR 1.42 (0.92–2.18)

Myeloid Leukemia: 19 deaths

RR 1.78 (0.87–3.64)

Peak exposure ≥4.0 ppm group

42 years of median length of follow-up

Pinkerton et al. [34]

11,039 garment workers

1955–1998

Leukemia: 15 deaths

SMR 1.92 (1.08–3.17)

Myeloid Leukemia: 8 deaths

SMR 2.55 (1.10–5.03)

The mean TWA exposure 0.15 ppm

Multiple cause mortality from leukemia and myeloid leukemia

10+ years exposure and 20+ years since the first exposure

Meyers et al. [45]

Update of Pinkerton et al.

1955–2008

Leukemia: 23 deaths

SMR 1.74 (1.10–2.60)

Myeloid Leukemia: 10 deaths

SMR 1.90 (0.91–3.50)

Multiple cause mortality from leukemia and myeloid leukemia

10+ years exposure and 20+ years since the first exposure