Dose monitoring of health care workers occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation in Mansoura university hospitals

This study aims at evaluating the efficacy of radiation safety in Mansoura University Hospitals [MUHs] and to establish practical dose constraint [DC] for medical application. The study has been conducted upon health care workers [HCWs] occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation in various diagnostic and therapeutic activities in six health premises of MUHs. Four medical applications [radiotherapy, nuclear medicine, general radiology and interventional radiology] and five specialties [medical doctors, physicists, technicians, nurses and non-classified personals] were accounted. Doses were measured on a quarterly basis using thermoluniscent dosimeters [TLD-badges], while pocket dosimeters were used whenever TLD was not available. The annual doses were collected to build up a data base for years 1994-2005. The results show that TLD-badges were used in best situation in Oncology and Nuclear Medicine Dept. to cover less than one third of the exposed HCWs. The occupational doses showed a highly significant difference [p<0.0001] depending on the field of medical application. It is found that HCWs in radiotherapy were exposed to an average annual dose of 1.36 +/- 0.61mSv/y. For interventional radiology, the mean annual dose was found 2.25 +/- 2.47mSv/y unlike that of general radiology 1.07 +/- 0.65mSv/y. The largest sources of occupational exposure came from fluoroscopic radiology .equipments [1.76 +/- 0.92mS/y] followed by Cobalt-60 teletherapy machine [1.12 +/- 0.72mS/y]. The study showed that about 90% of HCWs received doses less than 2mSv/y and only 1.39% reported doses 5mSv or above. Dose constraint level can be set at 2mSv/y in premises of MUHs that may be considered achievable ceiling value referring to acceptably applied practices rather than optimized ones

Urinary excretion of lead, zinc, copper and cadmium among auto-workers

Garages and auto-repair shops may be polluted with lead and other heavy metals. Twenty four hour urine samples of 77 auto workers from Mansoura City and 9 control subjects of comparable age were analyzed for lead, zinc, and copper. The urinary excretion of lead was significantly increased in welders and electricians. There was a high significant increase in urinary zinc excretion in welders, electricians and car painters; while the urinary copper excretion showed a significant increase in, only, the electricians. The cadmium content of urine of auto-workers was comparable with controls. It has been concluded that the assessment of urinary lead, when substantiated by careful medical surveillance of auto-workers may be a good means for control of lead intoxication in this industry

Prevalence of low-back pain among nurses in Mansoura

This study was performed on 307 nurses working in four hospitals in Mansoura: Mansoura Univ. Hospital, Mansoura General Hospital, Mansoura fever hospital and Mansoura Chest hospitals. 63 females of similar age who perform clerical activities were included in the study as controls were included in the study a controls. The aim is to determine the prevalence of low-back pain and to assess risk factors predisposing to its development. 46.9% of nurses reported that they had low-back pain. 73.6% of this back pain was occupational. The results showed correlation between back pain and various nursing activities. The relation between back pain and individual risk factors such as age, sex, anthropometry, musculoskeletal abnormalities, movement of lumbar segment of spine and psychological factors was discussed. The evidence relating to individual risk factor is not conclusive except that those who have low-back pain before had been found to be more likely to have it again

Urinary excretion of calcium in workers handling sewing machines

The relationship of subjective symptoms and clinical signs of muscles and joints and calcium excretion in urine was investigated in 60 workers handling sewing machines aged 15-60 and in 30 normal control subjects aged from 15-50 with no occupational exposure to vibration. The subjective symptoms [paraesthesia, numbness, weakness of hand grip, pain in shoulder muscles, in arms, forearms, around the elbow, around wrist, in neck muscles and in back muscles] were frequent in exposed group. The prevalence of subjective symptoms increased with increase in TOT. An increase in TOT from, 5,000 hours experience to 85,000 hours experience was accompanied by a significant increase in calcium excretion in urine. This significant increase was observed between one TOT group and another except between groups 65,000 hours experience and 85,000 hours experience, where the difference was not significant. From the combined findings mentioned above, we presume that to repair alteration to bones caused by prolonged use of sewing machine, the synthesis of new bone is accelerated since it produces increase in calcium excretion. In conclusion, calcium excretion in urine, in absence of other causes of hypercalciuria, may be used as an indicator of damage to bones and joints caused by prolonged use of vibrating tools