Vibration and its effects on the body

To assess the effects of machine-induced vibration on workers and to determine effective precautions for vibration-induced trauma. Subjects and The study group consisted of 114 workers who were randomly selected: 50 rock drill workers and 64 truck heavy vehicle operators. Fifty-four office workers were designed as controls. The study and control groups were age-matched. All subjects were interviewed to determine subjective symptoms using a 38-item questionnaire designed by the Medical Committee of Vibration Disease, Japanese Association of Industrial Health. The complaints of pain in the fingers, sensitivity to cold, numbness and pain of fingers at night, weakness of static position, wrist-elbow pain, difficulty in bending and stretching elbow, pain in shoulder when holding up arms, lower back pain, sleeping disturbance and hearing difficulty were significantly higher in rock drillers than heavy vehicle operators and office workers [p < 0.05-0.01]. Permanent vibration exposures cause negative physical effects that may lead to occupational diseases. In order to be protected against whole-body and hand-arm vibrations, technical and medical measures must be taken into account

Relationship between insulin-like growth factor 1 and bone mineral density in men aged over 65 years

To determine the association between insulin growth factor 1 [IGF-1] and bone mineral density [BMD] in men over 65 years of age. Subjects and Forty-one male patients aged 65-88 years without a history of drug use or illness which is known to affect BMD were enrolled in the study. The control group consisted of 20 healthy men [19-62 years old]. An immunoradiometric assay was used to measure IGF-1 levels. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to determine BMD at the proximal femur and lumbar spine. A detailed questionnaire was used to assess the epidemiological findings. The men over 65 years of age had a lower mean IGF-1 level [102.04 +/- 36.65 vs. 196.62 +/- 84.86 ng/ml] and a lower mean BMD at the femoral neck, trochanter and intertrochanteric zones, Ward's triangle and total hip than the controls. No statistically significant association was observed in the BMD of the lumbar vertebrae between the patients and controls. IGF-1 levels were strongly and negatively correlated with age [p < 0.0001, r = -0.82]. Logistic regression analysis showed that low IGF-1 levels were strongly associated with osteopenia of the total hip, femoral neck, trochanter and intertrochanteric zone. The finding shows that low serum IGF-1 levels were associated with an increased risk of hip osteopenia and, hence, at least partly responsible for the osteopenia observed in men aged 65 years or over

Osteodystrophy in Posthepatitic Cirrhosis

This study investigated the incidence and severity of hepatic osteody strophy in patients with posthepatitic liver cirrhosis, and the role of hepatocellular injury in bone loss. Twenty-four patients (15 females and 9 males, mean age 49 +/- 13 years) with posthepatitic cirrhosis were enrolled in this study. The control group consisted of 22 healthy age and sex matched adults. The bone mineral density (BMD) was evaluated by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry of the L1-L4 vertebral bodies. A detailed questionnaire was used to assess the epidemiological findings. A statistically significant decrease in BMD of the patients was observed. There were no significant differences in the alkaline phosphatase, parathyroid hormone, calcitonin, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, osteocalcin, free testosterone, luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, and estradiol levels, oral calcium intake, urinary calcium, phosphorus and hydroxypyroline excretion between patients and controls. The control group smoked more cigarettes, consumed more coffee and meat, and were exposed the sun light for a longer period than the study group. Multiple regression analysis showed that osteopenia depends significantly on the extent of liver disease. The data shows that the patients with posthepatitic cirrhosis had osteopenia, and that cirrhosis was a direct and independent risk factor.