PURPOSE: The action spectrum of ultraviolet radiation mainly responsible for @entity320 induction is unknown, but evidence suggests it could be ultraviolet A (UVA), which has a different geographic distribution than ultraviolet B (UVB). This study assessed whether @entity320 mortality rates are more closely related to the global distribution of UVA or UVB. METHODS: UVA and UVB radiation and age-adjusted @entity320 mortality rates were obtained for all 45 countries reporting @entity5 data to the World Health Organization. Stratospheric @entity1787 data were obtained from NASA satellites. Average population skin pigmentation was obtained from skin reflectometry measurements. RESULTS: Paradoxically, @entity320 mortality rates decreased with increasing UVB in @entity1 (r = -0.48, p < 0.001), and @entity1 (r = -0.57, p < 0.001), and with increasing UVA in both sexes. By contrast, rates were positively associated with increasing UVA/UVB ratio in @entity1 (r = + 0.49, p < 0.001) and @entity1 (r = + 0.55, p < 0.001). After multiple adjustment that included controlling for skin pigmentation, only UVA was associated with @entity320 mortality rates in @entity1 (p < 0.02) with a suggestive but non-significant trend present in @entity1 (p = 0.12). CONCLUSIONS: UVA radiation was associated with @entity320 mortality rates after controlling for UVB and average pigmentation. The results require confirmation in observational studies.

Epidemiologic evidence for different roles of ultraviolet A and B radiation in XXXX mortality rates.

@entity5 :: ('MESH:D009369', 'Disease') :: ['cancer'] @entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['women', 'men'] @entity320 :: ('MESH:D008545', 'Disease') :: ['melanoma'] @entity1787 :: ('MESH:D010126', 'Chemical') :: ['ozone']
@entity320 :: (MESH:D008545,Disease) :: ['melanoma']
