Neurovascular Changes among Workers Exposed to Whole Body Vibration | ||
| Journal of High Institute of Public Health | ||
| Article 12, Volume 30, Issue 4, October 2000, Pages 771-782 | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/jhiph.2000.246698 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Fahmy Ch. Fahmy; Taher A. Mansour; Fawzia Abbas; Mohamed Moselhi; Hassan A. Osman | ||
| Occupational Health Department, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Egypt | ||
| Abstract | ||
| The extent to which whole body vibration [WBV] influences neurovascular functions is still unclear. This study was designed to investigate neurovascular changes among workers exposed to WBV. The study included 50 male workers randomly selected from industrial operations causing WBV in construction and ceramics industries, and another control group of 30 male healthy subjects from administrative sector with similar socio-demographic characteristics. All participants were subjected to questionnaire, clinical examination of nervous and vascular systems, cold provocation test and measurements of weight, height, blood pressure [BP]and ankle/brachial Doppler systolic BP [DSBP]. Nerve conduction velocities INCV]of ulnar and lateral popliteal nerves were measured for 17 exposed workers and 13 control subjects. Exposed workers reported significantly higher rates of low back pain and numbness of extremities than controls [p = 0.009 & 0.004 respectively]. The prevalence rate of positive cold provocation test was significantly higher among exposed workers in comparison to controls [p = 0.021]. Ankle DSBP was significantly lower among exposed workers than controls [p = 0.023]. Ankle/brachial pressure index was significantly reduced for exposed workers [p = 0.031]. The NCV of both ulnar and lateral popliteal nerves were significantly slower among exposed workers than controls [p = 0.024 & 0.021 respectively]. Duration of exposure and smoking were significantly related to ankle/brachial pressure index [p = 0.018 & 0.045 respectively]. Also, duration of exposure was significantly inversely related factor to lateral popliteal NCV [p = 0.035]. In conclusion, WBV may produce some neurovascular changes possibly proportionate to the duration of exposure. Occupational exposure to WBV must be enlisted in the Egyptian table for occupational diseases. Periodic medical examination of exposed workers ought to consider these changes by application of diagnostic tests. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Neurovascular Changes; Workers; Body Vibration | ||
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