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- Carlsson, Daniel, 1982-, et al.
(författare)
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Can sensation of cold hands predict Raynaud's phenomenon or paraesthesia?
- 2018
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Ingår i: Occupational Medicine. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0962-7480 .- 1471-8405. ; 68:5, s. 314-319
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Raynaud's phenomenon and neurosensory symptoms are common after hand-arm vibration exposure. Knowledge of early signs of vibration injuries is needed. Aims To investigate the risk of developing Raynaud's phenomenon and paraesthesia in relation to sensation of cold hands in a cohort of male employees at an engineering plant. Methods We followed a cohort of male manual and office workers at an engineering plant in Sweden for 21 years. At baseline (1987 and 1992) and each follow-up (1992, 1997, 2002, 2008), we assessed sensation of cold, Raynaud's phenomenon and paraesthesia in the hands using questionnaires and measured vibration exposure. We calculated risk estimates with univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses and adjusted for vibration exposure and tobacco usage. Results There were 241 study participants. During the study period, 21 individuals developed Raynaud's phenomenon and 43 developed paraesthesia. When adjusting the risk of developing Raynaud's phenomenon for vibration exposure and tobacco use, the odds ratios were between 6.0 and 6.3 (95% CI 2.2-17.0). We observed no increased risk for paraesthesia in relation to a sensation of cold hands. Conclusions A sensation of cold hands was a risk factor for Raynaud's phenomenon. At the individual level, reporting a sensation of cold hands did not appear to be useful information to predict future development of Raynaud's phenomenon given a weak to moderate predictive value. For paraesthesia, the sensation of cold was not a risk factor and there was no predictive value at the individual level.
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| 2. |
- Carlsson, Daniel, et al.
(författare)
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Neurosensory and vascular function after 14 months of military training comprising cold winter conditions
- 2016
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health. - : Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health. - 0355-3140 .- 1795-990X. ; 42:1, s. 61-70
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the effects of 14 months of military training comprising cold winter conditions on neurosensory and vascular function in the hands and feet.METHODS: Military conscripts (N=54) were assessed with quantitative sensory testing comprising touch, temperature, and vibration perception thresholds and finger systolic blood pressure (FSBP) after local cooling and a questionnaire on neurosensory and vascular symptoms at both baseline and follow-up. Ambient air temperature was recorded with body worn temperature loggers.RESULTS: The subjects showed reduced sensitivity to perception of touch, warmth, cold and vibrations in both the hands and feet except from vibrotactile perception in digit two of the right hand (right dig 2). Cold sensations, white fingers, and pain/discomfort when exposed to cold as well as pain increased in both prevalence and severity. There were no statistically significant changes in FSBP after local cooling.CONCLUSION: Fourteen months of winter military training comprising cold winter conditions reduced sensation from touch, warmth, cold, and vibrotactile stimulus in both hands and feet and increased the severity and prevalence of symptoms and pain. The vascular function in the hands, measured by FSBP after local cooling, was not affected.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Lewkowski, Kate, et al.
(författare)
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Exposure to Hand-Arm Vibration in the Australian Workforce
- 2021
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Ingår i: Annals of Work Exposures and Health. - : Oxford University Press. - 2398-7308 .- 2398-7316. ; 65:6, s. 659-667
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: To estimate the prevalence of hand-arm vibration (HAV) in Australian workplaces.Methods: The Australian Workplace Exposure Survey (AWES)—Hearing was a cross-sectional telephone survey of Australian workers conducted in 2016–2017. Respondents were asked about the time spent using tools or performing tasks known to be associated with HAV during their most recent working day. We created a library of HAV magnitude levels for each tool/task and estimated each worker’s daily HAV exposure level using standard formulae. We categorized each worker as to whether they exceeded the daily occupational limits of 2.5 and 5.0 m/s2. Results were extrapolated to the Australian working population using a raked weighting method.Results: In our sample of 4991 workers, 5.4% of men and 0.7% of women exceeded the HAV action limit of 2.5 m/s2 on their most recent working day. We estimate that 3.8% of the Australian workforce exceeds the HAV limit of 2.5 m/s2 and 0.8% exceeds the 5 m/s2 limit. Men were more likely to exceed the HAV limits than women, as were those with trade qualifications, and those who worked in remote locations. Workers in the construction, farming, and automobile industries had the highest prevalence of HAV exposure. Tool groups that contributed to higher exposure levels included: compactors, rollers, and tampers; power hammers and jackhammers; and underground mining equipment.Conclusions: HAV is common in the Australian working population. Given the health risks associated with this exposure, reduction strategies and interventions should be developed, with engineering controls as the starting point for exposure reduction strategies.
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| 6. |
- Pettersson, Hans, 1980-, et al.
(författare)
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Buller
- 2017
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Ingår i: Miljöälsorapport norr 2017. - Umeå : Norrlands universitetssjukhus. - 9789176018231 ; , s. 26-29
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Bokkapitel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)
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| 7. |
- Pettersson, Hans, 1980-, et al.
(författare)
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Introducing a new design of digital tool to increase vibration risk assessments : challenges with education-based interventions
- 2022
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Ingår i: International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1080-3548 .- 2376-9130. ; 28:3, s. 1705-1710
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: This study aimed to investigate whether introducing a digital risk assessment tool, the Swedish National Vibration Database, would increase the number of risk assessments on hand–arm and whole-body vibration. Employer and safety representatives from companies where vibration exposure is common were invited.Methods: Of the 2953 invited companies, 1916 were selected for educational intervention and the remaining 1037 companies served as a control group with no intervention. For the educational intervention, participating companies were further divided into two groups (group A, n = 26; group B, n = 47) that both received information regarding risk assessment, but group B was also informed about the digital tool. Both groups answered a questionnaire on risk assessment before the intervention and at the follow-up, 6 months later; the control group received the same questionnaire but no education (group C, n = 22).Results: Of the invited companies, only 2% chose to participate and 7% at follow-up. Seventy-eight percent of the participants had made some kind of risk assessment of vibration at follow-up.Conclusion: Due to the low participation rate among invited companies, this study is not able to draw any conclusions on whether the digital tool can be used to increase the number of risk assessments.
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| 8. |
- Pettersson, Hans, 1980-, et al.
(författare)
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Occupational exposure to noise and cold environment and the risk of death due to myocardial infarction and stroke
- 2020
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Ingår i: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health. - : Springer. - 0340-0131 .- 1432-1246. ; 93:5, s. 571-575
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PURPOSE: The present study examined a possible association between occupational exposure to noise, working and living in cold conditions, and the risk of mortality in myocardial infarction and stroke.METHODS: The present cohort study consists of 194,501 workers in the Swedish construction industry that participated in health examinations between 1971 and 1993. Noise exposure was defined on a job-exposure matrix based on a survey of the working conditions carried out during the mid 1970s. All workers were categorised into three main regions of Sweden, differing in temperature: Reference (Götaland), colder (Svealand), and coldest (Norrland). Relative risks (RR) were analysed by negative binomial regression adjusting for age, BMI, and smoking habits.RESULTS: Moderate and high noise exposure was associated with increased risk of myocardial infarction (RR 1.10-1.13 with 95% CI over unit) and stroke mortality (RR 1.15 to 1.19 with 95% CI over unit). There was an increased risk for myocardial infarction (RR 1.10, 95% CI 1.01-1.20), but not for stroke mortality (RR 1.09, 95% CI 0.94-1.25) associated with living and working in the coldest region. There was an interaction on the risk of myocardial infarction mortality between different regions and noise exposure (p = 0.016), but not for stroke mortality (p = 0.88).CONCLUSIONS: The study indicates an interaction between working at hazardous noise levels and living and working in cold conditions for increased mortality in myocardial infarction.
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| 9. |
- Pettersson, Hans, 1980-
(författare)
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Risk of hearing loss from combined exposure to hand-arm vibrations and noise
- 2013
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Hearing loss from noise exposure is one of the most common occupational injuries, and exposure to vibrations may increase the risk of noise-induced hearing loss. Earlier cross-sectional and longitudinal studies found an increased risk of noise-induced hearing loss among workers with vibration-induced white fingers (VWF) symptoms compared to workers without such symptoms. It has been suggested that vibrations to the hand stimulate the sympathetic nervous system and cause vasoconstriction in both the exposed hand and the ears and that this contributes to noise-induced hearing loss. The overall aim of this thesis was to examine how hand-arm vibrations (HAV) interact with noise in the development of noise-induced hearing loss.The experimental study in this thesis examined the effects of HAV and noise, both separately and combined, on the temporary threshold shift (TTS) in hearing in 22 healthy male and female subjects. The two longitudinal studies in this thesis were based on a cohort of 189 male workers at a heavy engineering workshop. The first cohort study examined the risk of noise-induced hearing loss from long-term exposure to HAV and noise. The second cohort study examined if workers with VWF had an increased risk of noise-induced hearing loss compared to workers without such symptoms. Finally, the questionnaire study in this thesis examined the occurrence of Raynaud’s phenomenon among 133 men and women with noise-induced hearing loss in relation to exposure to vibrations.In the experimental study, no differences in TTS in hearing were observed after combined exposure to HAV and noise compared to exposure to only noise. In the first cohort study, there was an increased risk of noise-induced hearing loss with increased exposure to HAV in a noisy environment. In the second cohort study, it was found that workers with VWF had an increased risk of noise-induced hearing loss compared to workers without VWF. In the questionnaire study, many men and women with noise-induced hearing loss had used hand-held vibrating machines suggesting that vibrations might contribute to noise-induced hearing loss. A high prevalence of Raynaud’s phenomenon was found among men.This thesis demonstrated that there was a long-term effect on noise-induced hearing loss from combined exposure to noise and HAV, but no short-term effect, and that having Raynaud’s phenomenon may also increase the risk of noise-induced hearing loss.
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| 10. |
- Pettersson, Hans, 1980-, et al.
(författare)
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Risk of hearing loss in relation to vibration-induced white fingers among workers using hand-held vibrating tools
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background Vibration-induced white fingers (VWF) may increase the risk of hearing loss among workers using hand-held vibrating machines who are exposed to noise and hand-arm vibrations (HAV). The present study uses a 21-year follow-up cohort of workers who use hand-held vibrating machines. The aim of this study is to examine the risk of hearing loss for workers with and without VWF who use hand-held vibrating tools.Methods All 184 participants used hand-held vibrating machines and were part of a Swedish cohort. At each follow-up each participant answered a questionnaire on basic individual data, use of hand-held vibrating tools, and VWF symptoms. The VWF symptoms were categorized as with or without VWF. HAV acceleration was measured at each follow-up. Hearing threshold levels from audiometric measurements were categorized as normal hearing and hearing loss. Two exposure estimates were used and divided into two exposure groups: lifetime exposure to HAV (Time) and lifetime exposure to HAV multiplied by acceleration (TimeAcc). To be included in the analysis, each participant had to have hearing status, categorized VWF symptoms, exposure estimates and stated smoking habits measured in the same year for either 1987, 1992, 1997, 2002, or 2008. The relationship between binary outcome of hearing status and the interaction of the explanatory variables, i.e. categorized VWF symptoms, exposure estimates, smoking habits and age, were calculated using binary logistic regression. Because of the repeated measurement of these variables, the Generalized Estimating Equations procedure with a first-order autoregressive correlation structure was used. Three analyses were made for left hand and left ear, right hand and right ear, and hand with worst categorized VWF symptoms and ear with worst categorized hearing status.Results In our study, there was an interaction between exposure estimates (Time and TimeAcc) with the variable categorized VWF symptoms in the left hand on the risk of hearing loss in the left ear. Workers with VWF in the left hand had an increased risk of hearing loss in the left ear if they were in the low exposure group (OR 4.7-7.1) but not in the high exposure groups. There was an increased risk of hearing loss in the left ear for workers in the high exposure group without VWF in the left hand (OR 3.3-3.6) but not for workers with VWF. Workers with VWF in their right hand had an increased risk of hearing loss (OR 2.2-2.3) in the right ear compared to workers without VWF. Workers with VWF on the hand with worst categorization according to the Stockholm Workshop Scale (SWS) for the vascular component did not have any increased risk of hearing loss in the ear with worse hearing status.Conclusions We found that workers with VWF who are using hand-held vibrating machines had an increased risk of hearing loss compared to workers without VWF. This result supports an association between VWF and an increased risk of hearing loss among workers using hand-held vibrating tools in a noisy environment.
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