Occupational Exposure to Talc Increases the Risk of Lung Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of Occupational Cohort Studies

Table 3

Stratification of cohort studies by subgroups.

		Meta-SMR	95% CI
Type of talc
Nonasbestiform talc	7	1.51	1.02–2.22	0.87
Talc with asbestiform fiber	7	1.45	1.18–1.78
Industry
Talc user industry	7	1.41	1.14–1.76	0.87
Talc-producing industry	7	1.47	1.02–2.11
Gender
Female	3	1.71	0.71–4.12	0.66
Male	12	1.39	1.16–1.67
Geography
Asia	4	1.98	1.11–3.51	0.01
Europe	5	1.16	1.02–1.31
North America	4	2.01	1.34–3.00
Duration of follow-up
<20 years	4	1.76	1.03–3.00	0.72
20–40 years	7	1.51	1.18–1.92
≥40 years	3	1.28	0.75–2.19
Publication language
English	11	1.34	1.13–1.60	0.04
Chinese	3	2.45	1.44–4.16
Study quality (NOS score)
High (8-9)	11	1.32	1.74–3.71	<0.01
Medium (6-7)	3	2.54	1.11–1.56
Low (1–5)	0

Number of cohorts included. Test for between-subgroup differences (random effects model).