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1.
G Ital Med Lav Ergon ; 30(3): 283-90, 2008.
Article in Italian | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-19069232

ABSTRACT

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) and Excessive Daytime Sleepiness (EDS) are sleep disorders which can increase cardiovascular risk. An health survey was performed on the cement workers to estimate the prevalence of sleep disorders and to investigate occupational, personal and health risk factors that could influence it. A total of 761 male workers, employed at 10 different cement plants of South Italy and Sicily, were examined. All subjects gave informed consent to take part in the survey. The following questionnaires were administered: Berlin Questionnaire to estimate the high risk of OSAS, Epworth Sleepiness Scale for EDS, a questionnaire posing questions about working conditions, personal characteristic, lifestyle, past history of disease and present illness. Statistical analysis was performed with the statistical package SPSS. The prevalence of high risk of OSAS and of EDS resulted respectively in 24.2% and 3.4% of workers. Sleep disorders detected with the two questionnaires were significantly associated. A positive and significant association between OSAS and respectively age, time of employment, BMI, ex-smoker status, neck, waist or hip circumferences, chronic fatigue and arterial hypertension was observed. Subjective variables regarding working conditions (job interest, evaluation oforganization of work and job satisfaction) and alcohol consumption were not associated with the high risk of OSAS. Shift work (2 and 3 shifts) was not associated with the high risk of OSAS. An healthy worker effect was observed for workers who changed from shift work (2 or 3 shifts) to fixed daytime work. For them, this change to fixed daytime work was conditioned by chronic disease like hypertension and obesity. EDS was not dependent, associated or correlated with any of the occupational, personal or pathologic variables investigated in the study. In conclusion the research showed no relationship between working conditions, particularly shift work, and the high risk of OSAS, and the influence of obesity in determining the high risk of OSAS, itself a potential cardiovascular risk factor. The interest of occupational physician has been focused on introducing in health surveillance also measures of health promotion regarding sleep disorders with the aim of preserving health condition in workers.


Subject(s)
Occupational Diseases/epidemiology , Sleep Wake Disorders/epidemiology , Adult , Humans , Male , Prevalence , Young Adult
2.
G Ital Med Lav Ergon ; 27 Suppl 1: 62-7, 2005.
Article in Italian | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-15915657

ABSTRACT

The effects of low-dose lead occupational exposure on neurobehavioral functions are still not well defined by international literature. The objective of this study is to assess by psychometric testing the presence of possible neuropsychological impairment in a group of male Italian workers with low blood lead levels in comparison to an adequate non exposed worker group. Given informed consent to take part to the study, all workers were interviewed about their working and clinical history and underwent determination of blood lead levels (PbB). An internationally validated computerized battery of psychometric tests and a standardized paper-and-pencil version of mood self-rating scale and WAIS-R Vocabulary subtest were also administered to the workers. Exposed workers had a geometric mean of PbB significantly higher than non exposed workers, but rather low (16.4 +/- 1.7 microg/dl). The results of psychometric tests were not significantly different between the two worker groups, even after adjusting for the main confounding factors. In workers exposed to low lead doses no neurobehavioral abnormalities were demonstrated by the administered psychometric test battery.


Subject(s)
Behavior/drug effects , Lead/pharmacology , Nervous System/drug effects , Occupational Exposure/adverse effects , Adult , Humans , Lead/blood , Male , Middle Aged , Psychological Tests
3.
Med Lav ; 93(3): 202-14, 2002.
Article in Italian | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-12197270

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To assess early effects on the Central Nervous System due to occupational exposure to low levels of inorganic mercury (Hg) in a multicenter nationwide cross-sectional study, including workers from chloro-alkali plants, chemical industry, thermometer and fluorescent lamp manufacturing. The contribution of non-occupational exposure to inorganic Hg from dental amalgams and to organic Hg from fish consumption was also considered. METHODS: Neuropsychological and neuroendocrine functions were examined in a population of 122 workers occupationally exposed to Hg, and 196 control subjects, not occupationally exposed to Hg. Neuropsychological functions were assessed with neurobehavioral testing including vigilance, motor and cognitive function, tremor measurements, and with symptoms concerning neuropsychological and mood assessment. Neuroendocrine functions were examined with the measurement of prolactin secretion. The target population was also characterized by the surface of dental amalgams and sea fish consumption. RESULTS: In the exposed workers the mean urinary Hg (HgU) was 10.4 +/- 6.9 (median 8.3, geometric mean 8.3, range 0.2-35.2) micrograms/g creatinine, whereas in the control group the mean HgU was 1.9 +/- 2.8 (median 1.2, geometric mean 1.2, range 0.1-33.2) micrograms/g creatinine. The results indicated homogeneous distribution of most neurobehavioral parameters among exposed and controls. On the contrary, finger tapping (p < 0.01) and the BAMT (Branches Alternate Movement Task) coordination test (p = 0.05) were associated with occupational exposure, indicating an impairment in the exposed subjects. Prolactin levels resulted significantly decreased among the exposed workers, and inversely related to HgU on an individual basis (p < 0.05). An inverse association was also observed between most neuropsychological symptoms and sea fish consumption, indicating a "beneficial effect" from eating sea fish. On the contrary, no effects were observed as a function of dental amalgams. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, this study supports the finding of early alterations of motor function and neuroendocrine secretion at very low exposure levels of inorganic Hg, below the current ACGIH BEI and below the most recent exposure levels reported in the literature.


Subject(s)
Mercury Poisoning, Nervous System/epidemiology , Mercury/adverse effects , Adult , Affect/drug effects , Air Pollutants, Occupational/adverse effects , Animals , Chemical Industry , Cross-Sectional Studies , Dental Amalgam/adverse effects , Dental Amalgam/pharmacokinetics , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Environmental Exposure , Environmental Pollutants/adverse effects , Feeding Behavior , Female , Fishes , Food Contamination , Humans , Italy/epidemiology , Male , Maximum Allowable Concentration , Mercury/administration & dosage , Mercury/pharmacokinetics , Mercury/urine , Mercury Poisoning, Nervous System/etiology , Middle Aged , Motor Activity/drug effects , Neuropsychological Tests , Neurosecretory Systems/drug effects , Occupational Diseases/epidemiology , Occupational Diseases/etiology , Occupational Exposure , Prolactin/blood , Psychomotor Performance/drug effects , Reaction Time/drug effects , Seafood/adverse effects
4.
Med Lav ; 91(4): 354-65, 2000.
Article in Italian | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-11098599

ABSTRACT

A cross-sectional study was carried out to verify if work as an anaesthetician-reanimator can be considered as a fatiguing job. An anonymous self-administered questionnaire was utilized to obtain information about the general characteristics of the subjects, job organization, human relations, perceived risks and previous diseases; 1438 questionnaires were examined. The results of the study showed that in anaesthetist-reanimator: organic diseases do not occur earlier than expected; perception of the emotional aspects related to the particular occupation is low; the group relationships are difficult, on both horizontal and vertical levels, and these difficulties increase work-stress and hinder its management; age influences the occurrence of both arthritic and stress-related diseases; there is an association between jobs dissatisfaction and stress disorders; all the causal variables considered, evaluated as a group, constitute a heavy physical load, that leads to risk of stress related diseases.


Subject(s)
Aging , Anesthesiology , Arthritis/etiology , Fatigue/etiology , Occupational Diseases , Occupations , Age Factors , Aged , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Job Satisfaction , Male , Middle Aged , Occupational Diseases/etiology , Risk Factors , Stress, Psychological/complications , Surveys and Questionnaires
5.
Abdom Imaging ; 19(1): 72-7, 1994.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-8161912

ABSTRACT

Among 230 patients undergoing ultrasound (US) guided renal biopsy, 218 had postbiopsy sonography. Clinical records were reviewed to correlate symptoms to US findings. In each case of large hematoma (thickness above 1 cm), all postbiopsy sonographic studies were analyzed to look for findings indicative of unfavorable outcome. A total of 96 subcapsular/perirenal hematomas were found. Large hematomas were observed in 20 patients (20/230 = 8.7%), seven of these (3%) were severely symptomatic. In the absence of clinical signs of bleeding, no patient had clinical consequences. In the presence of clinical signs of bleeding, serious complications occurred only in patients with large hematomas. US thickness of retroperitoneal hematoma correlated to clinical outcome: whenever measured thickness was less than 2 cm, clinical evolution was very favorable, whereas a thickness above 2 cm was invariably associated to clinical signs of bleeding. In six of seven cases of thickness exceeding 3 cm, severe complications developed. An unfavorable evolution was associated with increasing thickness and an echogenicity inappropriate with respect to the time elapsed since biopsy. Hydroureteronephrosis, peritoneal effusion, and anomalous vascular images were indicators of deterioration. We conclude that sonography is indicated only for symptomatic patients and that the monitoring of both thickness and changing echogenicity of retroperitoneal blood collections supplements clinical follow-up.


Subject(s)
Biopsy/adverse effects , Kidney/diagnostic imaging , Kidney/pathology , Biopsy/methods , Hematoma/diagnostic imaging , Hematoma/etiology , Humans , Kidney Diseases/diagnostic imaging , Kidney Diseases/etiology , Retroperitoneal Space , Ultrasonography
6.
Br J Ind Med ; 47(2): 105-9, 1990 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-2310714

ABSTRACT

The effects of low exposure to inorganic mercury on psychological performance was investigated: the study groups included eight chronically exposed workers and 20 who were only occasionally exposed. These were compared with a control group of 22 subjects from the same plant who were not exposed to mercury. All subjects were administered the WHO test battery to detect preclinical signs of central nervous system impairment: the battery includes the Santa Ana (Helsinki version) test, simple reaction time, the Benton test, and the Wechsler digit span and digit symbol. In addition, the Gordon test was used to study personality profiles and the clinical depression questionnaire. Urinary mercury was used as indicator for internal dose. To this effect, urinary mercury observed in workers examined from 1979 to 1987 was evaluated. Of the pyschic functions explored by behavioural tests, only short term auditory memory was found to be impaired in the chronically exposed workers (p less than 0.05 compared with the controls). The chronically exposed workers were also found to be more depressed than those in the two other groups. No changes of visual motor functions were observed. The personality of the occupationally exposed workers was found to be considerably changed compared with that of the control group. On the basis of the results obtained and in view of urinary mercury mean concentrations in the exposed group which were 30-40 micrograms/l over the years, it is suggested that the TLV-TWA for mercury should be lowered to 0.025 mg/m3 and that the biological urinary exposure indicator for biological monitoring should be 25 micrograms/l.


Subject(s)
Central Nervous System Diseases/chemically induced , Mercury/adverse effects , Occupational Diseases/chemically induced , Adult , Central Nervous System Diseases/diagnosis , Central Nervous System Diseases/psychology , Humans , Maximum Allowable Concentration , Mercury/urine , Occupational Diseases/diagnosis , Occupational Diseases/psychology , Psychological Tests
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