Advisory Group on Ionising Radiation (AGIR): Subgroup on Circulatory Disease Risk

Terms of reference

Raised risks of heart disease and other circulatory diseases have been observed in medically exposed patients and amongst survivors of the Japanese atomic bombings.  Increased risk is evident at high doses but very uncertain at doses less than 0.5 Gy.  Consequently circulatory disease risk is not included in the ICRP calculations of radiation detriment.

The AGIR subgroup will:

critically appraise all available relevant epidemiological studies on risks of circulatory disease following exposures to ionising radiation taking into account the role of risk modifying factors and potential confounding factors

consider radiation damage to relevant tissues/organs and the mechanisms by which radiation may act to elevate circulatory disease risk based on established mechanistic knowledge of circulatory disease

consider the most appropriate approach to estimate circulatory disease risks at all dose levels

identify gaps in knowledge and make recommendations for research that will allow a more complete assessment of radiation-associated circulatory disease risk.

 

Membership

Chairman

Professor Trevor McMillan, Lancaster University

Members

Professor Martin Bennett, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge
Professor Bryn Bridges, OBE, University of Sussex
Professor Sarah Darby, University of Oxford
Dr Jolyon Hendry, International Atomic Energy Agency (retired)
Dr Chryso Kanthou, University of Sheffield
Professor Bleddyn Jones, University Hospital, Birmingham
Dr Mark Little, Imperial College Faculty of Medicine
Dr Andrew Taylor, UCL Institute for Child Health & Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children

Secretariat

Dr Simon Bouffler, HPA
Dr Wei Zhang, HPA

Observer

Dr Hilary Walker, Department of Health

Work plan

The subgroup on circulatory disease risk first met in May 2008. The subgroup will review the available epidemiological and human data relating to circulatory disease in radiation exposed populations and individuals.  In addition consideration will be given to the mechanisms by which radiation might plausibly affect circulatory disease incidence.  In considering mechanisms the subgroup aims to identify ways in which risk of circulatory disease may be assessed in populations where the radiation doses received are below those where direct human data are available.  The subgroup will also identify knowledge gaps and promising directions for future research.

First meeting

May 2008

Last reviewed: 8 July 2008