Table 1

 Characteristics of studies

StudyDesign*Setting/data sourceSampleOutcomesVariables accounted for
Akerstedt et al, 2004Retrospective cohortSwedish Living Conditions Survey22 411All cause mortalityAge, stress, physically strenuous work, smoking, chronic disease
Alfredsson et al, 1985Retrospective cohortSwedish census data958 096Myocardial infarctionAge, county
Allesoe et al, 2011Prospective cohortDanish Nurse Cohort Study12 116Coronary eventsAge, family history, diabetes, menopause, BMI, smoking, alcohol consumption, leisure time activity, physical activity at work
Babisch et al, 2005Case-control32 major hospitals in Berlin, Germany4115Myocardial infarctionAge, diabetes, hypertension, family history, smoking, BMI, employment status, living without a partner, noise sensitivity, education, sex†, hospital†
Biggi et al, 2008Retrospective cohortMunicipal workers in Milan, Italy468Coronary eventsNo covariate adjustment
Boggild et al, 1999Prospective cohortCopenhagen Male Study5207Coronary events, all cause mortalityAge, social class, sleep, tobacco, weight, height, fitness
Brown et al, 2009Prospective cohortNurses’ Health Study80 108Ischaemic strokeAge, questionnaire cycle, physical activity, BMI, alcohol, fruit and vegetable intake, menopausal status, smoking, hormone replacement, aspirin use, diabetes, coronary disease, blood pressure, serum cholesterol, husband’s education, snoring, sleep duration, atrial fibrillation
Ellingsen et al, 2007Retrospective cohortEmployees of fertilizer plant in Doha, Qatar2562Coronary and cardiovascular eventsNo covariate adjustment
Falger and Schouten, 1992Case-controlTwo large hospitals in Netherlands458Myocardial infarctionAge, exhaustion, smoking, education, hospital site†
Fujino et al, 2006Prospective cohortSurvey data in Japan17 649Coronary, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and all cause mortalityAge, smoking, alcohol, education, perceived stress, past medical history, BMI, hours of walking, hours of exercise, job type
Fukuoka et al, 2005Case-controlFive hospitals in Japan94Myocardial infarctionAge†, work status†, sex†
Haupt et al, 2008Retrospective cohortSurvey data in West Pomerania, Germany2510Myocardial infarctionAge, sex, food frequency score, socioeconomic status, smoking
Hermansson et al, 2007Case-controlSurvey data in Sweden607Ischaemic strokeAge, smoking, education, job strain, BP, serum triglycerides, cholesterol, sex†, survey†, survey date†, locale
Hublin et al, 2010Prospective cohortPopulation based twin cohort in Finland20 142Coronary mortality, cardiovascular eventsAge, marital status, social class, education, smoking, binge drinking, alcohol, hypertension, BMI, conditioning physical activity, life satisfaction, diurnal type, sleep length, use of hypnotics or tranquillisers, physical workload, working pace
Karlsson et al, 2005Retrospective cohortPulp and paper workers in Sweden5442Coronary, stroke related, and all cause mortalityAge, duration of employment
Kawachi et al, 1995Prospective cohortNurses’ Health Study79 109Myocardial infarction, coronary events, coronary and all cause mortality, cardiovascular eventsAge, smoking, diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, past oral contraceptive use, current use of hormonal replacement, parental MI before age 60, alcohol, physical activity, BMI, aspirin use, fifths of vitamin E, follow-up period, husband’s education
Knutsson et al, 1986Prospective cohortPulp and paper works in Sweden504Coronary eventsAge, duration of exposure, smoking, family status
Knutsson et al, 1999Case-controlSurvey data in Sweden4648Myocardial infarctionAge†, sex†, residence†, smoking, job strain, education
Koller, 1983Retrospective cohortOil refinery workers in Austria301Coronary and cardiovascular eventsAge†, duration of employment†
Laugsand et al, 2011Prospective cohortNord-Trøndelag Health Study (survey in Norway)52 610Myocardial infarctionAge, sex, marital status, education, shift work, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, diabetes mellitus, BMI, physical activity, smoking, depression, poor sleep
Liu and Tanaka, 2002Case-control22 hospitals in Japan705Myocardial infarctionAge†, sex†, residence†
McNamee et al, 1996Case-controlNuclear plant workers934Coronary mortalityAge†, smoking, BMI, height, systolic BP, diastolic BP, job status, duration of employment, year of starting work†
Netterstrom et al, 1999Case-controlTwo Danish hospitals252Myocardial infarctionAge†, sex†
Rafnsson and Gunnarsdottir, 1990Retrospective cohortFertiliser plant workers in Iceland603Coronary and all cause mortalityAge, calendar year
Steenland and Fine, 1996Case-controlHeavy equipment plant workers (US)944Coronary mortalityAge, worksite, race
Tarumi, 1997Retrospective cohortJapanese steel industry workers9141Cardiovascular and all cause mortalityAge, job site location, blue collar status†
Taylor and Pocock (reanalysed by Knutsson et al, 2004)Retrospective cohort10 industrial organisations in Britain8767Coronary and cerebrovascular mortality, cardiovascular and total mortalityAge, calendar period, sex†
Taylor et al, 1972Retrospective cohort29 industrial organisations in Britain1930Cardiovascular eventsAge†, organisation†, occupation†
Tuchsen, 1993Prospective cohortDanish survey data406 969Coronary eventsAge, sex†
Tuchsen et al, 2006Prospective cohortDanish survey data5517Coronary and cardiovascular eventsAnnoying noise, coldness, conflicts at work, high cognitive demands, ergonomic exposure, job insecurity, passive smoking, monotonous tasks, low decision authority, heat, walking or standing for long hours at work, low social support, BMI, current smoking
Vertin, 1978Prospective cohortViscose rayon factory workers200Coronary eventsCarbon disulfide exposure†
Virkunnen et al, 2006Prospective cohortHelsinki Heart Study (clinical trial)1804Coronary eventsAge, smoking, systolic BP, cholesterol, BMI, gemfibrozil use, noise, physical workload
Virtanen and Notkola, 2002Retrospective cohortFinnish census data385 500Cerebrovascular and cardiovascular mortalityAge, marital status, professional status, education, income, socioeconomic status, job exposure variables
Yadegarfar and McNamee, 2008Case-controlNuclear plant workers in Britain1270Coronary mortalityAge†, year of starting work†, smoking, systolic BP, diastolic BP, BMI, height, work status, duration employment, social class

BMI=body mass index; BP=blood pressure.

*All studies used day workers as comparison group, with four exceptions that used general population controls—Alfredsson et al, Rafnsson et al, Taylor et al, and Tuchsen 1993.

†Matching or stratifying variable.