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At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

Impact of shift work on cardiovascular functions in a 10-year follow-up study.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine whether shift work affects the heart-rate-adjusted QT interval (QTc) in electorcardiography (ECG) and the blood pressure of workers without overt cardiovascular dysfunction. METHODS: At a copper smelter, 158 shift workers and 75 day workers who underwent an ECG examination and blood pressure measurements in 1986 were followed for 10 years. In 1996, biochemical indicators such as high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides were measured, together with the QTc. RESULTS: In 1986 and 1996, the QTc was significantly longer in the shift workers than in the day workers. Of 180 workers with a normal QTc (<420 ms(1/2) in 1986, 15% had developed a prolonged QTc (420 ms(1/2) in 1996 (18% of the 117 shift workers and 11% of the 63 day workers). Among the workers with a normal QTc in 1986, the shift workers had a significantly longer QTc than the day workers when the QTc was examined in 1996. In addition, shift-day work in the group with a normal QTc was significantly related to the QTc in 1996 after control for age, work duration, biochemical indicators, smoking, and drinking habits. However, the blood pressures of the shift and day workers did not differ significantly, and in 1996 the values of both groups were significantly elevated. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that shift work is associated with QTc prolongation. This evidence may explain the increased risk for cardiovascular diseases due to shift work.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Respiratory symptoms and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among cement factory workers.

OBJECTIVES: This study assessed chronic respiratory symptoms and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among workers exposed to cement dust at a Tanzanian cement factory. METHODS: A total of 120 exposed workers and 107 controls participated in this cross-sectional investigation. Information on demographics, occupational history, chronic respiratory symptoms, smoking habits, and use of respiratory protection equipment was collected by questionnaire. Ventilatory function testing and measurement of personal total dust exposure were also carried out. COPD was diagnosed for workers with chronic bronchitis who also had spirometric airflow obstruction. Chronic respiratory symptoms and COPD were correlated with cumulative total dust exposure and adjusted for age, pack-years, and education. RESULTS: The exposed workers had more chronic cough [odds ratio (OR) 4.5, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.9-10.4], chronic sputum production (OR 10.8, 95% CI 4.4-26.4.), dyspnea (OR 5.3, 95% CI 1.9-15.2), work-related shortness of breath (OR 4.8, 95% CI 1.6-14.2), and chronic bronchitis (OR 5.5, 95% CI 2.0-15.3) than the controls. Chronic cough, chronic sputum production, dyspnea, work-related shortness of breath, and chronic bronchitis were significantly related to cumulative dust exposure of 20.0-99.9 and > or = 100.0 versus <20.0 mg/m3-years. The prevalence of COPD was higher for the exposed group (18.8%) than for the controls (4.8%). The odds ratio for COPD was significantly increased for cumulative dust exposure, > or = 100.0 versus <20.0 mg/m3-years (OR 11.2, 95% CI 2.2-56.0). CONCLUSIONS: Cement workers seem to be at high risk of developing chronic respiratory symptoms and COPD, probably caused by cumulative total dust exposure independent of smoking habits.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1999

Sociodemographic and behavioural determinants of blood lead concentrations in children aged 11-13 years. The Port Pirie Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the determinants of blood lead concentration in children with long term environmental exposure to lead. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: The lead smelting town of Port Pirie, South Australia, and surrounding townships. PARTICIPANTS: 326 children born in and around Port Pirie, 1979-1982, followed up until age 11-13 years in 1993-1994. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Blood lead concentrations assessed at birth and at multiple ages up to 11-13 years; average lifetime blood lead concentration. RESULTS: Mean blood lead concentration rose sharply over the ages 6 to 15 months, reached a maximum around 2 years of age, and declined steadily as the children grew older. There was no difference in blood lead concentration between boys and girls until they reached the age of 11-13 years, when mean blood lead concentration in boys (8.4 micrograms/dL [0.41 mumol/L]) was slightly higher than in girls (7.5 micrograms/dL [0.36 mumol/L]). Residential area and father's employment site were the two variables most strongly predictive of a child's blood lead concentration at the end of primary school. Poorer-quality home environment was also found to be an independent contributor to blood lead concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: Age-related factors, and possibly recent concerted efforts to decrease entry or re-entrainment of lead into the environment at Port Pirie, have resulted in most children in our study having blood lead concentrations below 10 micrograms/dL (0.48 mumol/L) at the end of their primary school years. Lead exposure during a child's early years remains an important contributor to average lifetime exposure.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1999

[Clinical course of asbestosis under the existing conditions in extraction and processing of serpentine asbestos].

The authors followed changes in clinical course of asbestosis, comparing groups of individuals working in exposure to chrysotile-asbestos dust, patients having so-called late asbestosis and reference group (individuals with absent or minimal roentgenologic changes in lungs). Analysis of 530 case histories proved increase of average length of service in dusty conditions before asbestosis development, longer progression of pulmonary fibrosis. Asbestosis progression does not depend on medical resolutions. "Late" asbestosis occurs in retired workers who were engaged into auxiliary occupations. Low baseline values of respiratory function and associated respiratory infection worsen the overall prognosis.

Asbestos, Serpentine↗
PubMed1999

Radiation exposure and cancer mortality in uranium processing workers.

Data from the Comprehensive Epidemiology Data Resource (CEDR) allowed me to study patterns of cancer mortality in a cohort of 4,014 uranium-processing workers. Employing risk-set analysis for cohort data, I estimated the effects of external (gamma) and internal (alpha) radiation on cancer mortality. My results indicate that Fernald workers exposed to ionizing radiation experienced an increase in mortality from total cancer (per 100 mSv external dose rate ratio (RR) = 1.92; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.11-3.32), radiosensitive solid cancer (RR = 2.00; 95% CI = 1.02-3.94), and lung cancer (RR = 2.77; 95% CI = 1.29-5.95). Effects were strongest when exposure had occurred at older ages (>40 years). In addition, I observed an increase in lung-cancer mortality for workers exposed to > or =200 mSv of internal (alpha) radiation (RR = 1.92; 95% CI = 0.53-6.96). Furthermore, my results demonstrate the importance of a long follow-up time when studying solid cancers, the potential for bias due to worker selection associated with concomitant chemical exposures, problems of exposure measurement, confounding, and effect modification due to age at exposure. Owing to lack of data, a previous pooled analysis of uranium-processing workers could only partially address these issues.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Hydrochloric attack of serpentinites: Mg2+ leaching from serpentinites.

This paper presents the hydrochloric attack of serpentinites. Romanian serpentinites are part of the Danubian crystalline complex. These serpentinites contain mineral serpentine (magnesium silicate) and a small amount of other minerals along with calcium, iron, aluminium, nickel, cobalt, chrome and manganese. For processing, the serpentinite was attacked by hydrochloric acid from two provinces (p.a. and residual hydrochloric acid), using different experimental conditions: acid concentrations between 15-23 per cent HCl, the temperature range of 70-90 degrees C, with stoichiometric ratio between reactants and with acid excess, the extraction time being up to 180 min. In optimum conditions, the magnesium extraction is almost total (99.5 per cent). A well-balanced processing of these serpentinites looks for both the silica residue utilization and the chloride solutions, in order to separate the prevalent magnesium as well as the valuable microcomponents--nickel and cobalt.

Asbestos, Serpentine↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Comprehensive hygienic assessment of environmental pollution in rural localities in the area affected by the Orenburg gas processing plant].

Comprehensive analysis of environmental pollution was made in 15 rural settlements of Orenburgsky and Perevolotsky districts located in the vicinity of gas-processing works. The ambient air, the blanket of snow, and drinking water were assessed for pollution. The drinking water and ambient air in vicinity of the works were found to be polluted by toxic substances.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Cutaneous histopathologic changes in laboratories working in the processing of petroleum].

Petroleum and its derivatives are a complex mixture of many constituents in varying proportions, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, alcohols, ethers and additives. It is well established that petroleum derivatives are absorbed through the skin but exposure has not been quantified. Manifestations of cutaneous exposure vary from squamous cell carcinoma to irritative contact dermatitis such as occurs in the workplace. The aim of the investigation was to evaluate cutaneous histomorphological alterations in a group of 10 healthy workers occupationally exposed to repeated and low amounts of gasoline for a prolonged period. Histological examination and immunocytochemical techniques were performed after taking punch biopsies. The results showed the presence of perivascular lympho-plasma cell infiltration and leucocyte cells scattered in the dermal layer. A mild increase in epidermal Langerhans cells was also observed while the detection of the Ki-67 antigen in keratinocytes gave a normal appearance. In conclusion, the overall histomorphological and immunological features was not specific, but resembled skin reactions due to several irritative agents. Such skin alterations can lead to contact dermatitis.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Hygienic environmental characteristics and population health in areas of production of heavy oils and natural bitumen].

The paper deals with the impact of production of heavy oil and natural bitumens on the environment and human health. It provides a sanitary characteristics of the degree of ambient air pollution, the quality of reservoir and drinking water and soil in the areas of production of heavy oil and natural bitumens. Human health was studied in all age groups by medical and demographic indices and diseases. Hydrocarbons, hydrogen sulfide, carbon oxide were found to be the leading pollutants in these areas. Production of heavy oil and natural bitumens pollutes surface and underground water-bearing horizons, which is a cause of worse conditions for the population to use water due to a 1.8-fold increase in water hardness and a 1.2-fold increase in the content of sulfates, chlorides, and nitrates, as compared to 1987-1991. The production of heavy oil and natural bitumens is a large source of soil pollution. The greatest soil pollution was observed in the areas of bitumen production by intraseam burning and vapour-heat exposure. There was a relationship of respiratory disorders to sulphur dioxide (r = 0.5-0.73) and hydrogen sulfide (r = 0.6-0.82), of blood and blood-forming organ diseases to nitrogen oxide (r = 0.58-0.79), and of nervous and sensory diseases to sulphur dioxide (r = 0.73-0.82). The study provided sanitary recommendations for environmental sanitation and health promotion in the areas of production of heavy oil and natural bitumens.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Cause of death among workers of a refinery in Rome].

We evaluated mortality among subjects employed in an oil refinery plant in Rome, Italy. We studied two subgroups of refinery employees: blue collar and white collar workers. A total of 682 men (505 blue collars, 148 white collars, 29 unknown) employed between 1965 and 1992, were followed up for mortality since employment in the plant to July 1999. Standardized Mortality Ratios (SMR), and their 90% Confidence Intervals (90% CI), comparing mortality rates of the cohort members with those of the general population of the Lazio region. For blue collar workers, we performed analyses by latency since first employment and by duration of employment for selected cancer sites. We observed 94 total deaths (100.8 expected) (SMR = 0.93; 90% CI = 0.78-1.11) among blue collar workers and 16 total deaths (31.7 expected) (SMR = 0.50; 90% CI = 0.32-0.77) among white collar workers, and a large deficit of deaths from non-neoplastic cardiovascular diseases (respectively SMR = 0.60; 90% CI = 0.41-0.86 and SMR = 0.18; 90% CI = 0.03-0.56). All cancer mortality was slightly increased only in blue collars (SMR = 1.27 CI = 0.97-1.65). There was an excess risk from cancer of the lung (20 obs SMR = 1.80, 90% CI = 1.19-2.62), bladder (5 obs SMR = 3.19, 90% CI = 1.26-6.72), and benign/unspecified cancer of the brain (4 obs SMR = 4.11, 90% CI = 1.12-10.6). The lower mortality from cardiovascular disease indicates the presence of a strong healthy worker effect. The findings of elevated mortality from cancer of the lung and bladder in blue collar workers are in agreement with those of other studies. Confounding factors from cigarette smoking might have played only a marginal role in influencing the results. Exposure to polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is a plausible explanation for the excesses found.

Cardiovascular Diseases↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Mortality in a cohort of asbestos cement workers in Bari].

The study describes the mortality of 417 workers employed in a asbestos-cement plant, located in Bari, Puglia, Southern Italy. Follow up started on February 1st 1972. The vital status and cause of death were ascertained at 1995. The mortality experience of the Apulian population was used as comparison. Using 90% confidence limits (CLs), a significant increase in mortality was observed in our cohort from: all causes of death (SMR 118, CL 100-139), pneumoconiosis (SMR 14810, CL 10298-20683), all types of cancer (SMR 139, CL 105-181), lung (SMR 191, CL 126-277), pleural (SMR 1560 CL 431-4081) and peritoneum (SMR 1705, CL 303-5367) malignant neoplasms. In our cohort, the discrepancy between observed and expected mortality for lung and pleural cancer occurred 30 years after the first exposure, after 40 years for all neoplasms and peritoneum cancer. Under the Cox regression model, lung cancer SMR showed a curvilinear trend along time since first exposure, the peak being detected at 35 years. Finally, SMRs from our cohort were compared to a previously described cohort including workers from the same plant compensated for asbestosis by INAIL.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Morbidity with temporal disability in workers of the Astrakhan gas refining plant].

Morbidity and temporary disability in 1987 to 2000 were analyzed in workers and employees of the Astrakhan gas-refining plant. There is a stable trend of the incidence and mean duration of disability in such groups of diseases as hypertensive disease and cerebrovascular lesions; gastroduodenal ulcer, diseases of the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas; those of the kidney, and urinary tract, infections of the skin and subcutaneous fat, diseases of the osteomuscular system and connective tissue. The average annual rate of increase in the mean duration of a case of ischemic heart disease decreased from 17.2 to 1.4%. There was a change in the trend of the mean duration of a case of acute respiratory infection on the average from +11.9 to -10.7% a year.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Pertussis outbreak among adults at an oil refinery--Illinois, August-October 2002.

On September 16, 2002, the Crawford County Health Department (CCHD) reported to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) four cases of cough illness among workers at an oil refinery (total worker population: 750) in Crawford County, Illinois. On August 14, a worker aged 39 years reported to the plant's health unit with a cough lasting 14 days. On the same day, the worker's supervisor aged 50 years visited the health unit for a paroxysmal cough of 3 days' duration and an incident of cough syncope. Both patients were referred to private health-care providers; blood samples from both patients had serologic test results suggestive of recent Bondetella pertusis infection, and CCHD was contacted. On September 18, IDPH and CCHD initiated active surveillance and case investigations. This report summarizes the results of that investigation, which found that during August 1-October 9, pertussis was diagnosed in 15 (10%) of 150 oil refinery workers from two separate operations (n=95) and maintenance (n=55) complexes, who were linked by contact with the ill supervisor. Through enhanced case finding, 24 cases of pertussis, 21 (88%) of which occurred in adults aged > or = 20 years, were identified in this outbreak, underscoring the need to recognize this highly infectious disease in adults and to improve national diagnostic and preventive strategies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

[Operations involving the seabed: possible health implications].

Some activities on marine sediments, such as escavation of the bottom, search for hydrocarbons, deposit of sands on beaches, and harbour dredging or works are considered. These activities may cause the release of pathogens or chemical contaminants in waters used for recreational, rearing or fishery activities, so representing a threat to human health.

Extraction and Processing Industry↗