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Utilizing the metabolic syndrome component count in workers’ health surveillance: An example of day-time vs. day-night rotating shift workers

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Lin Y. C., Hsieh I.-C., Chen P.-C.

International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health

2015

vol. 28

issue 4

675-688

Objectives To establish a practical method for assessing the general metabolic health conditions among different employee groups, this study utilized the total count of metabolic syndrome (MetS) elements as a parameter, and performed a retrospective analysis comparing changes of MetS component count (MSC) of 5 years among day-time work (DW) and day-andnight rotating shift work (RSW) employees. Material and Methods The data of personal histories, physical examinations, blood tests, abdominal sonographic examinations and occupational records were collected from a cohort of workers in an electronics manufacturing company. We first defined the arithmetic mean value of MSC as MSC density (MSCD) for the employee group; then we compared the changes of MSCD over 5 years between DW and RSW workers. Occupational, personal and health records were analyzed for the 1077 workers with an initial mean age of 32.4 years (standard deviation (SD): 6.2 years), including 565 RSW workers (52%). Results The initial MSCDs were 1.26 and 1.12 (p = 0.06) for DW and RSW workers, respectively; after 5 years, the increments of MSCD for DW and RSW workers were 0.10 and 0.39, respectively (p < 0.01). By performing multivariate logistic regression analyses, and comparing with DW co-workers, final results indicated that the workers exposed to RSW have 1.7-fold increased risk of elevated MSCD (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.28–2.25, p < 0.01); and are 38% less likely (adjusted rate ratio (aRR) 0.62, 95% CI: 0.45–0.86, p < 0.01) to attain decreased MSCD. Conclusions These observations demonstrate that changes of MSCD are significantly different between DW and RSW workers, and are increasingly associated with RSW exposure. In conclusion, MSCD can represent the general metabolic health conditions of a given employee group; MSC, MSCD and their transitional changes can be applied as simple and standardized tools for monitoring metabolic health risk profiles when managing employee health, at both the individual and company levels.

A cross-sectional study of the upper limb non-neurogenic physical findings in computer operators and their relation to pain and neurological findings

75%

Jepsen K. R., Thomsen G. F., Jepsen J. R.

International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health

2021

vol. 34

issue 5

679-691

ObjectivesThe character of upper limb disorders in computer operators is subject to debate. While nerve involvement is suggested by the presenceof pain, paresthesia and subjective weakness, these symptoms are mainly interpreted as related to pathologies outside the nervous system. Findings in a previous study involving computer operators indicated peripheral nerve afflictions with specific locations in symptomatic subjects. Based on the same sample, this study addresses the relation of non-neurogenic findings to pain and neurological findings.Material and MethodsOverall, 96 computer operators scored their perceived pain in the neck, shoulder, elbow, and wrist/hand on a Visual Analogue Scale of 0–9. They underwent 2 sets of blinded physical examinations of selected non-neurogenic and neurological items, respectively. The authors analyzed correlations between the scores of each non-neuropathic finding, and a) mean pain scores for each and all regions, and b) scores for neurological patterns reflecting brachial plexopathy, median neuropathy (the elbow), and posterior interosseous neuropathy, respectively, and their combination. Kendall’s rank correlation test was applied for all statistical analyses.ResultsA median pain level of 1 or 0.5 was reported by 80 and 57 participants on the mouse-operating or contralateral side, respectively. Non-neurogenic and neurological findings were frequent. The mean overall pain correlated with palpation soreness of the neck insertions, and of the trapezius and supraspinatus muscles. Neck and elbow pain correlated with palpation soreness at the neck insertions and the lateral epicondyles, respectively. Significant correlations on the mouse-operating side were identified between posterior interosseous neuropathy and lateral epicondyle soreness, and between median neuropathy and any neurological pattern, and trapezius and lateral epicondyle soreness. Conclusions Pain correlated with palpation soreness, which again correlated with the neurological patterns. Palpation soreness may be less significant as a marker of a painful disorder as it correlated no better with regional than with overall pain. The physical examination of computer operators should include a sufficient neurological assessment.

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2 International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health

1 Chen P.-C.

1 Hsieh I.-C.

1 Jepsen J. R.

1 Jepsen K. R.

1 Lin Y. C.

1 Thomsen G. F.

1 2021

1 2015

Search results

Utilizing the metabolic syndrome component count in workers’ health surveillance: An example of day-time vs. day-night rotating shift workers

A cross-sectional study of the upper limb non-neurogenic physical findings in computer operators and their relation to pain and neurological findings