Cadmium and pulmonary emphysema. Myth or reality

Chronic occupational exposure to cadmium (Cd) is considered to lead to pulmonary emphysema. The authors studied 18 workers exposed (E) to Cd for 32 years in average (range 22-43 years) in a Cd producing factory and 16 (age matched) nonexposed workers (C). The E group comprised all the workers in contact with Cd except 2 who had died (lung cancer and valvular heart disease), 1 who refused to engage in the study and 3 who were discarded (exposure of less than 10 years). There were 2 nonsmokers in the E group and 3 in the C group, but the number of pack years smokers was higher (p