Analysis of 120 shift systems of the police in the Federal Republic of Germany.

120 shift rotas of the police were collected and analysed. The frequency distribution of the shift cycles, the duration of shifts, the start and end of shifts, the maximal number of consecutive night shifts, as well as the frequency of different kinds of free weekends, were determined. The shift systems are compared with recommendations for the design of shift rotas which are based on physiological, psychological and social criteria.

Detection of specific immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM, IgA, IgE) and total IgE levels in human trichinosis by means of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Sera from 58 cases of confirmed human trichinosis were examined over an 11-month period. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used for the detection of class-specific serum antibodies (IgG, IgM, IgA, IgE) and for total serum IgE. The indirect immunofluorescent test served as reference technique. The ELISA proved to be more sensitive. Specific IgG antibodies were detected by ELISA in 100% of the clinical cases. Both IgG and IgM were demonstrable throughout the observation period of 11 months. Specific serum IgA was seen in 62% of the patients during the first 3 months, presumably the result of stimulation of the immune system by the adult worms in the intestine. Specific serum IgE was seen in a few cases only at the onset of the disease. Total serum IgE levels were elevated in 32% of the patients in the first month of the disease and in 17% after 11 months, compared to 10% of healthy individuals.

Coronary prone behavior and cardiovascular reactions during the German version of the type A interview and during a quiz.

Type A behavior (TABP) was assessed in 212 German policemen using the structured interview (Si), whereby 10% were classified as A1 (= extreme type A), 48% as A2 (= moderate), 13% as X (= indefinite), and 29% as B (= non type A) by two independent raters. Moreover, traditional risk factors were assessed: serum cholesterol (CHOL) including high density (HDL) and low density cholesterols (LDL), cigarette smoking habits; at rest, during the Si and during a quiz systolic (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), as well as heart rate (HR) were measured, and pressure-rate-index (PRi) was calculated. As in this group of policemen TABP and many of the investigated parameters were dependent on age, in a preliminary data analysis 18 type A1 subjects (group A) were compared to 18 age matched type B or X subjects (group B). Between group A and B no differences were found in CHOL as well as HDL and LDL, cigarette smoking, SBP, DBP, HR, and PRi at rest. During the Si group A exhibited a higher rise in SBP, HR, and PRi as well as higher maximal reactions in SBP and PRi. No differences were found during the quiz. This investigation gives some further evidence that the TABP has to be regarded as an independent risk factor; moreover, in specific situations like the Si it is associated with higher cardiovascular reactions independent of language and culture. This cardiovascular hyperreactivity might be regarded as one of the mediators between TABP and CHD.

[Occupational health studies on airport transport workers. III. Musculoskeletal complaints and orthopedic disorders of airport transport workers (author's transl)]. / Arbeitsmedizinische Untersuchungen über Ladearbeiten auf einem Grossflughafen. III. Untersuchungen über orthopädische Beschwerden bei Ladern eines Grossflughafens.

In an epidemiologic cross-sectional study, 366 transport workers (age-range: 19-61 years) of a big German airport who are engaged in physical heavy work in unfavorable body positions in narrow freight spaces of airplanes, were investigated with regard to their subjective musculoskeletal complaints through a standardized anamnesis in an interview questionnaire. An additional clinical orthopedic examination was performed in 104 of the transport workers. Back pains were the most frequently reported complaints: at the time of examination 66% of the transport workers reported present back complaints. 57% had experienced previous back syndromes. Increasing age and stature were associated with a higher prevalence of these complaints. Years of exposure to transport work correlated positively with the prevalence of back complaints. After back complaints, knee complaints followed in the prevalence of locomotor complaints (41% of the interviewed workers). The prevalence increased with age and body weight significantly. Neck complaints were reported by 33% of the workers, arm complaints by 41%: again, age increased the prevalence of these complaints significantly. In the standardized clinical orthopedic examination, the prevalence of the functional findings were sometimes higher than in the interview. In contrast to the subjective complaints at the interview, individual factors (age, stature, weight, and work experience in the present occupation) had very little influence on the prevalence of objective findings. The clinical, epidemiologic screening methods employed have proved efficacious in detecting orthopedic disorders in an occupational collective. This study has shown that transport workers with wide discrepancies between body length and the space available in airplane cargo bellies, considerable overweight, or a history of former back syndromes should not be employed. Means to alter cargo belly dimensions in airplanes as well as the increased use of mechanical loading aids and additional training of the workers in proper lifting and carrying of cargo should be taken in to consideration.

Back complaints and findings in transport workers performing physically heavy work.

Transport work at an airport promotes the appearance of back diseases because of the lifting carrying, pulling, and pushing of loads in limited spaces. To clarify the nature of back disorders in such a group, a standardized interview for detecting subjective previous and present back symptoms was made of 366 transport workers, and 134 were given a clinical orthopedic examination for detecting objective findings. Sixty-six percent of the interviewed workers reported current back symptoms; these symptoms correlated significantly positively with height, age, and length of transport work experience. Eighty-three percent of te workers with present back symptoms also complained of former back pain. Validity tests between the interview and the clinical examination showed a sensitivity of 86% and a specificity of 31%. The results of our study suggest (i) that according to the high sensitivity the used interview is a valuable screening method for detecting back disorders, and (ii) that selection of workers according to the criteria of our results may be expected to lower the prevalence of back complaints.

Occupational health studies on airport transport workers. II. Muscle strength of airport transport workers.

Airport transport workers do manual work in loading and unloading the cargo space of passenger airplanes. In several types of airplanes the work has to be carried out in narrow spaces and in cramped positions. The present study describes the isometric strength of some muscle groups in 70 airport transport workers. Trunk extensors, trunk flexors, muscles involved in bimanual vertical lifting, elbow extensors, and elbow flexors were measured. A method with fixed positions and strictly isometric contractions was used. The strengths of the different muscle groups correlated with each other and with body weight; those of lifting, trunk flexors and biceps also with stature. The absolute strength of the muscle groups declined with advancing age at rates from 0.3% to 1.5% per year, the relative strength (N/kg body weight) by 0.9%-2.0% per year.

[Trichinosis: epidemiology, clinical features and diagnosis (author's transl)]. / Trichinose. Epidemiologie, Klinik und Diagnostik.

After ingestion of wild boar meat 58 patients developed typical clinical signs and symptoms of trichinosis. All patients had marked blood eosinophilia. In 45% of the patients GOT and GPT and in 62% HBDH were moderately increased, while in 76% LDH and in 86% creatine-kinase showed abnormally high values. CK-MB was increased in three patients. 92% of muscle biopsies showed typical morphological changes in skeletal muscles. Latexagglutination, complement-fixation and agar-gel diffusion tests were not reliable. In most of the examined cases clinical symptoms and histological results correlated well with the indirect haemagglutination test, the microprecipitation test with living larvae of Trichinella spiralis and evidence of specific antibodies (IgG, IgM, IgE) by indirect immunofluorescence and the ELISA technique. 25 patients were treated with thiabendazole (Minzolum), 19 of them successfully.

[Supplement of the diet of malnourished geriatric patients with essential amino acids (author's transl)]. / Supplementierung der Kost mangelernährter Alterspatienten mit essentiellen Aminosäuren.

A significant improvement in the protein metabolism of twelve malnourished geriatric patients was achieved during a three-week daily supplement of the hospital diet with 9 g essential amino acids (8 classic essential amino acids plus histidine). This was especially evident in the doubled serum concentration of pre-albumin and retinol-binding-protein which may be regarded as highly sensitive parameters of protein metabolism. There was a significant increase of total protein and hemoglobin into the lowest normal range. The immunoglobulins IgG, IgA and IgM, however, remained unchanged for the entire observation period.

[Effect of the beta-receptor-blocker prindolol on renal hypertension (author's transl)]. / Beeinflussung der renalen Hypertonie durch den Beta-Receptorenblocker Prindolol

Under standardised conditions Prindolol-therapy (3 X 5 mg/die) was carried out in patients with renal hypertension in addition to the preexisting anti-hypertensive treatment during a period of 8 weeks. After administration of Prindolol for 4 and 8 weeks a significant (p less than 0.05) reduction of blood pressure (systolic and diastolic) was observed. 3 weeks after discontinuing the Prindolol-therapy blood pressure rose again, but it clearly remained below pretreatment level. Peak values of blood pressure during the day were markedly lowered. Antihypertensive efficacy was age-related. Lowering of blood pressure occurred in 70% of our patients. There existed no relation between plasma-renin-level and reactivity of the patients to the antihypertensive effect of Prindolol. Renal function (creatine-clearance) did not alter significantly by Prindolol-treatment.