[Evaluation of vibration exposure long-term effects in people with diagnosed vibration syndrome]. / Ocena odleglych skutków zdrowotnych narazenia na wibracje miejscowa u osób z rozpoznanym zespolem wibracyjnym.

BACKGROUND: Long-term exposure to hand-transmitted vibration can increase the occurrence of symptoms and signs of vascular neurological and musculoskeletal disorders of the upper extremities. The most common is the angioneurotic type of the vibration syndrome. Very little is known about possibility of withdrawal of symptoms after exposure cessation. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to evaluate the long-term effects of vibration exposure in people with diagnosed vibration syndrome. The particular aim of the study was to gain the information on possible withdrawal of symptoms in the peripheral vascular and nervous system after exposure cessation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The medical documentation of patients with vibration syndrome symptoms, examined in the years 1999-2004 in the Outpatient Clinic of the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine and in three Voivodeship Centers of Occupational Medicine has been analyzed. RESULTS: A group of 45 people who had been suffering from diagnosed angioneurotic vibration syndrome for at least 5 years was chosen. The mean age of the examined group at the time of occupational disease certification was 48.2 and the mean period of exposure to hand-transmitted vibration was nearly 20 years. The major group comprised persons with vibration syndrome diagnosed at an 'early symptoms' stage, an advanced stage of the disease was described in only 5 cases. From the time of occupational disease certification only 7 persons have been performing any job, and more than a half of the group has been granted disability pension. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study show a bad prognosis of angioneurotic vibration syndrome despite cessation of the exposure to vibration. The total withdrawal of symptoms is possible only in people with vibration syndrome diagnosed at an 'early symptoms' stage, at young age and after short period of exposure.

[Implementation of the Amiantus project involving prophylactic medical examinations of the former employees of asbestos processing plants]. / Realizacja programu badan profilaktycznych pracowników bylych zakladów przetwórstwa azbestu "Amiantus".

BACKGROUND: Based on a 11-year implementation of the Amiantus Project, this paper reports the results of prophylactic medical examinations of the former workers of asbestos processing plants. The Project involving employees of 28 former asbestos plants was started by the Ministry of Health in 2000 under the Act on the ban of all products containing asbestos. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Preventive examinations, continued in 13 centers of occupational medicine throughout the whole territory of Poland, have been coordinated by the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine in Lodz (NIOM). During the examinations, a specific Examination Form is filled-in by a physician. The Form is then sent to NIOM for monitoring health effects in the population covered by the Project. The results obtained by analyzing the lung radiological images are recorded in the Examination Form according to the ILO 1980 classification of pneumoconiosis. The diagnosis of the asbestos-related pathologies is based on the Helsinki criteria. RESULTS: During the years 2000-2010, altogether 6,853 people were involved in the Project, and they were subjected to a total of 18,955 preventive examinations. Asbestosis was diagnosed in 1475 people, representing 21% of all respondents, lung cancer in 68 and mesothelioma in 40 people. Pleural radiographic changes were observed in 3027 (44%) patients, pulmonary parenchymal opacities in 4086 (60%) patients. The analysis showed that the asbestos-related pathologies were most frequent in the group of former employees of asbestos-cement plants. This group was also characterized by an age-, tenure-, and latency-related increasing trend in the prevalence of silicosis and the frequency of radiographic lesions in the lungs of those subjects. CONCLUSIONS: The continuation of the examinations of former workers of asbestos processing industry has improved the detection of pathologies associated with exposure to asbestos and enabled undertaking an appropriate preventive action. The growing percentage of poorer radiography results reflects the progressive development of pathological processes in the respiratory system of people occupationally exposed to asbestos dust in the past.