Radiation effects on the incidence of myocardial infarction in atomic bomb survivors

Summary

Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, and myocardial infarction (MI) accounts for a large proportion of its mortality. The incidence of coronary events, including MI, are known to increase in patients receiving chest radiotherapy. However, there is insufficient evidence on the association between low radiation doses and MI. Previous studies on atomic bomb survivors found no significant association between radiation dose and MI mortality or incidence. However, when limited to survivors under 40 years at the time of bombing, the incidence of non-fatal MI and radiation dose has a significant quadratic dose-response relationship. Nevertheless, in these cases, there is some uncertainty regarding diagnostic accuracy. We aim to determine the diagnostic accuracy, by chart review according to fixed diagnostic criteria, in atomic 2 bomb survivors undergoing regular Adult Health Study (AHS) medical examinations at the Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF). We will also examine the association between radiation exposure and MI incidence based on the diagnoses confirmed by our chart review.