ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo explore the influencing factors of occupational hand-arm vibration disease (OHAVD) caused by handheld workpiece polishing. Methods A total of 222 OHAVD patients (case group), 275 hand-transmitted vibration-exposed workers (exposed group) and 243 healthy workers without hand-transmitted vibration exposure (control group) in a sports equipment manufacturing enterprise were selected as the study subjects using the convenience sampling method. Worksite survey of occupational health was conducted on these three groups, and the human vibration measurement equipment was used to measure the vibration exposure level of handheld vibration among the study subjects. The 8-hour energy equivalent frequency-weighted vibrating acceleration ［A(8)］ and cumulative vibration exposure level (CVEL) were calculated. Results The prevalence of coldness, numbness, tingling fingers, and vibration-induced white finger was higher in the exposed group and the case group compared with the control group (all P<0.05). The prevalence of the above-mentioned hand symptoms was higher in the case group compared with the exposed group (all P<0.05). The A(8) and CVEL levels of the study subjects in the case group were higher than those in the exposed group (all P<0.05). Binary logistic analysis result showed that age and CVEL were both influencing factors of OHAVD (all P<0.05). According to the restricted cubic spline models, CVEL of the study subjects in the exposed group had a positive nonlinear dose-response relationship with the risk of OHAVD (overall trend P<0.01, nonlinear P<0.01), indicating an increasing risk of OHAVD with increasing CVEL. Conclusion Hand-transmitted vibration exposure is a risk factor for OHAVD. Early intervention should be carried out for hand-transmitted vibration-exposed individuals to reduce vibration-exposed levels and control vibration exposure time.
ABSTRACT
Background Hand arm vibration disease (HAVD) is one of the legal occupational diseases in China, and its pathogenesis is not clear. Operators exposed to electric vibration tools for a long time have an increased risk of HAVD. Objective To conduct a systematic evaluation of the effects of vibration operations on workers' upper limb nerves, blood vessels, and muscles. Methods Relevant studies on the effects of hand-transmitted vibration on HAVD were searched and collected from the China Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, and PubMed databases, and the literature was published from January 1974 to April 2021. The quality of cohort and case-control studies was assessed by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS), and the quality of cross-sectional studies was by the evaluation criteria recommended by the Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research (AHRQ). Statistical analyses of outcome indicators (OR) in the included literature were performed using RevMan 5.4.1 software, effect sizes in the literature on vibration-induced white finger and neurosensory impairment were combined using a random-effect model, those that included carpal tunnel syndrome were combined using a fixed-effect model, and subgroup and publication bias analyses were also performed. To explore sources of study heterogeneity, meta-regression was performed using Stata 16.0 software, and sensitivity analyses were performed on the included literature. Results A total of 716 papers were retrieved from the databases, and 18 articles were retrieved by manual searching. A total of 34 papers were included after excluding those not meeting the criteria. Of the papers, 11004, 7270, and 1722 subjects related to vibration-induced white finger, neurosensory impairment, and carpal tunnel syndrome, respectively. The results of meta-analysis showed that compared with the control group, the combined ORs of hand-transmitted vibration exposure were 4.25 (95%CI: 2.72−6.65) for vibration-induced white finger, 4.03 (95%CI: 2.46−6.61) for neurosensory impairment, and 2.44 (95%CI: 1.61−3.71) for carpal tunnel syndrome. Heterogeneity was identified in the original studies related to vibration-induced white finger (I2=81%, P < 0.001) and neurosensory impairment (I2=90%, P < 0.001), except carpal tunnel syndrome (I2=23%, P < 0.001). The results of sensitivity analysis showed that the combined effect sizes (ORs) were stable and reliable. The results of meta-regression showed that the factors contributing to high heterogeneity of combined vibration-induced white finger and neurosensory impairment were time of publication (t=−2.10, P=0.049) and working age (t=−2.40, P=0.032), respectively. Conclusion Hand-transmitted vibration is a risk factor for vibration-induced white finger, neurosensory impairment, and carpal tunnel syndrome in operators.