Spectrum of esterified fatty acids of the omega-3 and omega-6 in the blood of persons with vibration pathology

Introduction. Vibration is one of the leading unfavourable physical factors of the working environment and leads to vibration disease (VD) development. The study of metabolic profiles of markers of fatty acids (FA) metabolism is one of the directions in the early diagnosis of vascular diseases and metabolic syndrome (MS), caused, among other things, by exposure to vibration. The aim of this work is to study the spectrum of esterified fatty acids of the omega-3 and omega-6 families in the blood of patients with vibration disease (VD) and combination with metabolic syndrome (MS). Materials and methods. The study involved 66 people, divided into two groups: Group I - 34 patients with an established diagnosis of VD; Group II - 32 patients with an established diagnosis of VD in combination with metabolic syndrome (MS). The levels of esterified forms (EF) of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) of the ω-3 and ω-6 families in blood plasma samples were determined using the method of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry on an Agilent 7890A gas chromatograph with an Agilent 5975C mass selective detector. Results. The distribution of quantitative indices of PUFA of the ω-3 and ω-6 families in the examined groups was studied. In VD patients with MS, compared with VD patients, there was a statistically significant increase in the level of eicosapentaenoic, α-linolenic acids of the ω-3 family, the sum of ω-3 PUFAs, γ-linolenic and linoleic acids of the ω-6 family. Conclusion. The study of the quantitative indices of EF of the families ω-3 and ω-6 in the blood plasma of VD patients with MS showed the levels of ω-6 to be 4.5-5.4 times statistically higher than the levels of ω-3 fatty acids.

Assessment of neurofunctional activity in patients with vibration disease caused by combined effects of local and general vibration

Introduction. The authors note insufficient knowledge of pathophysiological mechanisms, the cumulative role of cerebral functioning disorders in the formation of sensorineural deficit in vibration disease (VD). The study aims to identify changes in indicators characterizing neurofunctional activity in patients with VD due to the combined effects of local and general vibration. Materials and methods. The study involved 42 patients with VD (group I), 35 healthy men (comparison group). Researchers used methods of electroneuromyography, neuroenergic mapping, and neuropsychological testing. Results. In group I, when compared with the comparison group, we have detected an increase in latency N9, N10, N11, N13, N25, N30, the duration of the peak interval N10-N13 (p=0,002; 0,0001; 0,0002; 0,0001; 0,0023; 0,005; 0,01 respectively); an increase in local levels of constant potential (LCP) in the frontal, central, right parietal, occipital, right temporal parts of the brain (p=0.037; 0.0007; 0,0005; 0,01; 0,0004; 0,014; 0,029; 0,028; 0,001 respectively). Cognitive impairments in patients with VD correspond to an easily expressed disorder of analytical-synthetic and conceptual thinking, short-term (auditory-speech), visual imagery, long-term memory, dynamic praxis, joint coordination, impressive and expressive speech. The revealed conjugacy of the indicators of the LCP of the frontal left abduction, and the latency of the peak N30, duration N13-N20, and the hand of analytical and synthetic thinking (r=0.51, p=0.004; r=0.50, p=0.005, respectively) indicates the pathogenetic significance in the violation of neurofunctional activity of a decrease in cortical activation as a result of the arrival of a sensory message from the brain stem to the cortex, increased energy exchange in the frontal part of the left hemisphere. Conclusions. A sign of impaired neurofunctional activity in VB from the combined effects of local and general vibration is a decrease in the postsynaptic action of neurons, the time of signal passage through afferent pathways at the level of the cervical spinal cord, dynamic praxis, short-term (auditory-speech) memory, increased energy metabolism in the temporal right and left frontal brain.

Vibration Disease: Exposure Level and Duration-Dependent Characteristics and Features of the Clinical Picture Following Local and Combined Local and Whole Body Vibration

Introduction: Vibration disease is induced by a long-term occupational exposure to vibration above the maximum permissible level and is manifested by damage to the peripheral vascular and nervous systems and disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Objective: To study the exposure level and duration dependency and features of the clinical picture of vibration disease in workers exposed to local and combined local and whole body vibration. Materials and methods: The study included 136 male workers. Cohort I consisted of 60 patients (mean age: 49.5 ± 7.4 years) with vibration disease related to the local vibration exposure; cohort II included 76 patients (mean age: 55.7 ± 4.8 years) with vibration disease induced by the combined exposure to hand-arm and whole body vibration. Results: The examined subjects worked in harmful working conditions of classes 3.1–3.4. Measured vibration exceeded maximum permissible values at most workplaces. Levels of local vibration did not differ significantly between the cohorts and amounted to 115.0 and 118.0 dB; the level of whole body vibration in cohort II was 116.0 dB. Shorter work experience and younger age at the time of diagnosing the occupational disease were registered in people exposed to local vibration only compared to those with a combined exposure. The angiodystonic syndrome was twice as frequent in cohort I, while cohort II had a larger proportion of patients with concomitant diseases (low back pain, periarthrosis, etc.). Conclusion: Our findings indicate the necessity to reduce occupational exposures to vibration and take appropriate therapeutic and preventive measures in order to maintain health and work ability of employees.

Neurophysiological signs of changes in the functional state of the nervous system in patients with vibration disease associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Introduction. Neurofunctional state is an essential criterion in assessing the quality of the regulatory mechanisms of autonomic and somatic functions that determine the prognosis and course of vibration disease associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2). Objective of the study is to identify neurophysiological signs of changes in the functional state of the nervous system in patients with vibration disease caused by the combined effects of local and general vibration (VD com.) in combination with DM2. Materials and Methods. The group I included (n = 33) - VD com. patients, group II - 30 cases with VD com., burdened with DM2. We used neuroenergy mapping (NEM), registration of somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP). Statistica software was used for statistical processing. Results. Analysis of the severity of changes in DC-potential level in both groups established a statistically significant predominance of persons with an increased average DC-potential level. In group II, when compared with group I, there was an increase in the latency of components N9, N10, N11, N13, N18, N20, N25, N30, bipolar DC-potential level Cz-Pz, local DC-potential level in the central lead of the right hemisphere, decrease in DC-potential level in the central parietal region, bipolar pote ntials Fpz -Ts, Cz-Td, Pz-Oz. As a result of discriminant analysis, the following signs were obtained: indices of the latent period of the peak N13, the duration of the interpeak interval N10-N13, DC-potential level of the central parietal, right central, frontal right, frontal central leads. Discussion. The presence of DM2 in VD com. patients accompanied by disturbances in the neurofunctional state caused by a slowdown in the passage of an afferent impulse at the peripheral and central levels, a decrease in energy exchange in the frontal, central-parietal regions with its increase in the occipital, temporal parts of both hemispheres. Conclusion. Neurophysiological signs of changes in the functional state of the nervous system in VD com. patients with DM2 are a decrease in DC-potential level in the parietal central, frontal central, an increase in the latent period of the peak N13, the duration of the inter-peak interval N10-N13, DC-potential level in the central and frontal regions of the right hemisphere of the brain.

Current aspects of occupational hearing loss in agricultural workers

Introduction. Agricultural workers belong to the cohort of increased risk of developing occupational hearing loss (OHL). When studying occupational sensorineural hearing loss (SHL), researchers usually limit themselves to stating its share in the structure of occupational diseases without a comprehensive analysis of the initiating occupational factors and the relationship between the development of the disease with the age of employees and occupational experience. Materials and methods. The study is based on data on working conditions and occupational diseases by type of economic activity “Agriculture, forestry, hunting, fishing and fish farming” in the Saratov region from 2000 to 2019. The assessment of the factors of working conditions was carried out using the methods of the current hygienic classification. Generally accepted indicators were used to characterize occupational diseases. Linear regression analysis and polynomial equations were used to describe trend models of the prevalence of occupational diseases. Calculations and data analysis was carried out based on Microsoft Excel and Statistica application software packages. Results. Occupational hearing loss occupied the fourth rank after dorsopathies, vibration disease and chronic brucellosis in the nosological structure of accumulated occupational diseases. The level of primary incidence of SHL was in the range of 0.11 - 0.71 per 10000 workers. All cases of OHL were detected in agricultural machine operators whose harmful working conditions were characterized by a synergy of industrial noise (classes 3.1-3.3) and general vibration (classes 2-3.2). For the most part, SHL was diagnosed in workers aged 50 to 60 years with a work experience of 8 to 42 years in the profession and acted as the second or third concomitant occupational disease associated with dorsopathy, vibration disease or bronchopulmonary diseases. Conclusion. The absence of a statistically significant decrease in the level of PPP among agricultural workers during the observation period indicates the insufficient effectiveness of preventive measures to minimise occupational noise exposure.

Modern trends in the formation of occupational pathology when working on mobile agricultural machinery

Introduction. There are currently several works in the scientific literature devoted to studying the influence of working conditions on mobile agricultural machinery on the occupational morbidity of workers on the example of individual regions. Still, Russian Federation did not conduct such studies before. The study aims to analyze working conditions and current trends in the formation of occupational pathology when working on mobile agricultural machinery in the Russian Federation. Materials and methods. The paper uses the results of long-term sanitary-hygienic and ergonomic studies of working conditions when working on mobile agricultural machinery and data on the level of occupational morbidity (PZ) of farmworkers of the Russian Federation in 2011-2017. Results. Microclimatic discomfort, dustiness and gas contamination of the working area air, industrial noise, general and local vibration, physical overload, forming harmful operating conditions (classes 3.2-3.4), occupational risk categories from medium to very high characterize working on mobile agriculture machinery. From 2011 to 2017, researchers have identified 960 agricultural machine operators with 1052 occupational diseases in the Russian Federation, formed mainly under the influence of physical factors and physical overloads. In the nosological structure of occupational diseases (OD), the first place is occupied by vibration disease (VD), the second by radiculopathy (RP), and the third by sensorineural hearing loss. Researchers characterize the current trends in the nosological structure by a significant increase in the prevalence of radiculopathy against the background of a decrease in diagnosis cases of vibration disease. Conclusions. Working conditions when working on mobile agricultural machinery remain harmful and pose a high risk of developing occupational radiculopathy, vibration disease and sensorineural hearing loss. It should be taken into account when developing measures to prevent occupational pathology for agricultural machine operators.

Importance of electrostatic massage in the rehabilitation of the patients with vibration disease and with shoulder joint diseases

The results of the use of electrostatic massage in the miners with vibration disease and with shoulder joint diseases are presented. In the all patients the rehabilitation program included electrostatic massage on the ELGOS device using a lead-out electrode according to the local-segmental method. Patients of the comparison group underwent manual massage of similar areas. Before and after the treatment, the clinical manifestations of vibration disease were evaluated by vibration sensitivity test using a Rydel-Seiffer vibrotone C 64 Hz / C 128 Hz. The dynamics of functional activity indices in the patients with shoulder joint diseases was assessed using a visual analog scale questionnaire. The work showed that the electrostatic massage contributes to a faster restoration of vibration sensitivity, the volume of movements in large joints and a reduction in the clinical manifestations of vibration disease (pain in the fingers, paresthesia, numbness, etc.), which has an advantage in the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic, since the direct impact of the masseur’s hands on the patient’s body is excluded.

Hemodynamics disorders in vertebra-basilar region in patients with vibration disease, caused by local vibration (data of rheography and transcranial dopplerography)

Brain hemodynamics was studied in vertebra-basilar region in patients with vibration disease, resulting from local vibration. High percentage of clinical and roentgenologic manifestations of cervical octeochondrosis was revealed, as well as incidence increase of cephalgia syndrome while vibration disease progressing. Analysis of rheographic curves (deviation by E.Enin) and transcranial dopplerosonograms showed cerebral circulation dificiency in vertebrabasilar region. The highest level of hemodynamic disorders was marked in vertebral arteries. It is not excluded, that one of the factors, enfluencing hemodynamics disorders, is pathology of the vertebral column.

INFORMATIVE VALUE OF COMPUTER STABILOMETRY IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF VIBRATION DISEASE FROM THE EFFECTS OF GENERAL VIBRATION

A statistical analysis of stabilometric study results of 50 male patients with vibration disease (VD) from the effects of general vibration (GV) (average work experience 26,7±6,2) has been carried out. The control group (CG) included 50 men who have not been exposed to the general vibration. The compared groups were comparable by age: the average age of patients with vibration disease was 56.34+5.15, patients of the control group-58.22+-7.05. The study of the support symmetry and equilibrium function was carried out using the Romberg test on the St-150 stabiloplatform (Biomera, Moscow) in a vertical stand with European installation of feet in the positions of open (OE) and closed eyes (CE). A comparative analysis of the parameters of support symmetry in patients with VD from GV revealed a statistically significant sagittal asymmetry in the phases of OE and CE than in individuals of CG. Among the balancing parameters, the most informative parameters of computer stabilometry in patients with VD from GV were: an increase in the area of the statokinesiogram, a decrease in energy efficiency in both phases of the study, and an increase in the speed of the statokinesiogram in phase with CE. Computer stabilometry can be recommended as an additional objective research method in the diagnosis of early stages of VD from GV to improve the quality of periodic medical examinations.