[Structure and dynamics of occupational lung diseases in workers of Moscow region under longstanding 50 years of observation].

The article covers data on occupational morbidity in Moscow region over last 50 years. Stable number of newly diagnosed occupational diseases was seen up to first half of 1990s. Afterwards, steady decrease in occupational morbidity is seen with closure of major industrial enterprises. Among occupational pulmonary diseases, dust fibrosis (pneumoconiosis--44%) prevail. Tuberculosis complication of silicosis decreased, additional general somatic concomitants (arterial hypertension, ischemic heart disease, malignancies) are more frequent. Prevalence of occupational bronchial asthma has increased 16 times vs. that in 1976.

[Life quality as an additional criterion to evaluate efficacy of treating vibration disease patients].

Studies covered as an additional criterion to evaluate efficiency of treating vibration disease patients. Studies covered life quality in 40 males having vibration disease during the treatment course. Before the treatment, all the examinees demonstrated decrease in all life quality parameters especially of "role physical functioning" (16.89 points), general health (38.39 points), role emotional functioning (39.64 points). After the treatment most the parameters reliably improved, besides physical and social functioning. The authors recommend SF-36 life quality questionnaire to evaluate treatment efficiency for occupational diseases.

[Chronic pain syndrome and sleep disorders in patients with occupational diseases of upper extremities].

Polling method revealed prevalence of chronic nightly pain syndrome and insomnia peculiarities in 126 patients having occupational hands diseases. Prevalence of chronic nightly pain syndrome in upper limbs among actively working patients with occupational hands diseases caused by functional overstrain was 68%; that among the vibration disease patients equalled 58%. The nightly pains were absent in the reference group. Prevalence of the nighly pains among the patients in post-contact period was 83.3%. Insomnia prevalence, according to polling data in the workers, equalled 76% in functional overstrain cases and 63% in vibration disease cases, in post-contact period 72%, in the reference group 60% without reliable difference. Pilot polysomnographic study before and after the treatment of insomnia in 6 patients with sleep disorders demonstrated improvement of qualitative characteristics of sleep after the treatment.

[Life quality of workers in machinery plants of Moscow region].

Questionnaires SF-36 and NJ-29 were used to examine 107 workers including 33 ones exposed to vibration, 27 ones - to various hazards mostly chemical, and 47 individuals without any exposure. Life quality corresponding to normal was pointed out by 80.4% of the examinees throughout the whole select, but the minimal one - by 75.8 % of the workers exposed to vibration. The latter group examinees had lower life quality in Pain scale (76 points), General Health scale (60.51), Vitality (63.3), Social functioning (72 points). In all the groups, psychic health was decreased, according to self-estimation of the examinees (69.01; 75.26; 71.92). The authors recommend inclusion of Questionnaire SF-36 into examination methods in periodic medical workups.

[Multiple local involvement of peripheral nerves in workers suffering from occupational hands disorders].

Stimulation and needle electromyography studies covered 102 patients with occupational hands disorders. 87% of the examinees showed tunnel syndromes signs: 44% of those had one tunnel syndrome, 36% - two synromes, and 7% - multiple ones. The results failed to demonstrate reliable difference in tunnel syndrome frequency for vibration exposure and functional hands overstrain. Sensitivity thresholds in vibration disease were increased in 86.7% of the examinees and in 61.5% of those with functional hands overstrain. Peripheral nerve disorders in residual defects with occupational hands diseases are persistent due to compression within physiologic tunnels.

[Diagnostic value of needle electromyography in patients with occupational polyneuropathy caused by vibration and functional overstrain].

The authors determined diagnostic and differential value of needle electromyography in workers with occupational diseases of upper limbs. Results prove differences in neuromotor disorders of hands: vibration disease usually involves spinal motoneurons, whereas functional overstrain is characterised by marked muscular suffering (myopathy, myodystrophy).

[Increased neuromuscular excitability syndrome in vibration disease]. / Sindrom povyshennoi nervno-myshechnoi vozbudimosti pri vibratsionnoi bolezni.

The article deals with specification of criteria to use needle electromyography in diagnosis of increased neuromuscular excitability syndrome in patients with vibration disease caused by local vibration.

[The status of the vegetative nervous system in vibration disease patients]. / Sostoianie vegetativnoi nervnoi sistemy u bol'nykh vibratsionnoi bolezn'iu.

Vibration disease patients demonstrate severe vegetative disorders of peripheral and supersegmental levels of nervous system, also involved cerebral and cardiovascular structures, and minimal changes in respiratory and digestive systems. Findings are early signs of generalized vegetative disorders showing neurovascular changes both in upper and lower limbs. All vegetative disorders revealed are progressing.

[Bioelectric activity of the myocardium and central hemodynamics in patients with vibration disease]. / Bioélektricheskaia aktivnost' miokarda i tsentral'naia gemodinamika u bol'nykh vibratsionnoi bolezn'iu.

Examination in occupational clinic covered 60 male sufferers from vibration disease caused by local vibration (28 patients with I and I-II stages, 26 with II stage, 6 with residual signs). Nearly 36% of examinees demonstrated moderate disorders of bioelectric myocardial activity in left ventricle. Hyperkinetic type of central hemodynamics was diagnosed in 75% of the subjects, hypokinetic one-in 8.3%, eukinetic one-in 16.7%. The hyperkinetic type may promote arterial hypertension during vibration disease.