The relevance of the work is due to the high risk of the development of production-related pathology in employees of the enterprise for the production of potash fertilizers. The study aims to assess the morphofunctional state of the arteries as an early marker of production-related pathology in employees of a potash fertilizer plant. The authors examined 160 workers engaged in the production of potash fertilizers and engaged in work with harmful working conditions (observation group). The comparison group included 82 people who were not exposed to harmful production factors in the course of their work. We conducted an analysis of working conditions, an assessment of the air quality in the work area for the content of hexane, heptane and formaldehyde. To determine the studied chemical compounds in biological media (blood, urine), the researchers used chemical-analytical methods. The scientists used ultrasound diagnostics to assess endothelium-dependent vasodilation of the brachial artery, and also used sphygmomanometry to study the stiffness of the arterial wall. There is a presence of hexane, heptane and formaldehyde in the air of the working area of the observation group. In those working in harmful working conditions, the content of formaldehyde in the blood, heptane and hexane in the urine exceeded the indicators of the comparison group by 1.2-1.5 times. 65.3% of the employees of the observation group showed a decrease in the extensibility of the vascular wall, while the risk of developing these changes in them is 1.5 times higher than the comparison group. In 29.8% of cases in the observation group, we diagnosed signs of endothelial dysfunction, mainly of moderate severity, due to increased levels of formaldehyde in the blood and heptane in the urine. The risk of developing endothelial dysfunction in workers in harmful working conditions was 2.3 times higher. The revealed violations in workers engaged in the production of potash fertilizers in the form of a decrease in the extensibility of the vascular wall and signs of endothelial dysfunction indicate the presence of additional risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.
Introduction. Currently, endothelial dysfunction is considered as one of the initial stages of the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. By isolating a number of biologically active compounds, the endothelium helps to maintain vascular tone and physiological rheology of the blood. Modern production of chrome ore is characterized by a variety of harmful occupational factors (chromium, dust, noise, vibration, severity and intensity of work, cooling microclimate), which can disrupt the normal functioning of the vascular endothelium and lead to the development of cardiovascular diseases.The aim of the study was to study the features of endothelial function in workers engaged in underground mining of chrome ore in harmful working conditions.Materials and methods. The study included 98 miners of the enterprise for the extraction of chrome ore. The comparison group (working in conditions outside the influence of the studied production factors) consisted of 75 employees-managers and specialists of administrative and managerial personnel of the enterprise, comparable in age and experience with the observation group. To assess the vasomotor function of the endothelium, a flow-dependent (endothelium-dependent) vasodilation test was performed using the D. S. Celermajer technique. Post-occlusive increase in brachial artery diameter, brachial artery sensitivity coefficient to endothelial shift change were evaluated.Results. The endothelial function of mine workers did not differ significantly from the comparison group with work experience up to 10 years (the values of the relative increase in the diameter of the brachial artery 12.2% in the observation group and in the comparison group 12.6%, p=0.74). With experience of more than 10 years, the value of the relative increase in the diameter of the brachial artery in the observation group with experience of more than 10 years corresponded to the signs of endothelial dysfunction and amounted to 8.6%, while in the comparison group this figure was 12.4%, which corresponded to normal endothelial function (p=0.019). Endothelial function progressively deteriorated with increasing seniority in mine workers. Conclusions. For workers engaged in underground mining of chrome ore for more than 10 years, a reduced vasodilation reaction to reperfusion after an occlusion test and a low coefficient of sensitivity of the endothelium to shear stress are characteristic. There was no statistically significant decrease in increase in brachial artery diameter and the coefficient of sensitivity of endothelium to shear stress relative to the comparison group was selected only from persons with experience more than 10 years. The comparative analysis of the results of the evaluation of the functional activity of the endothelium in workers of the compared groups indicates that the change in the functional state of the endothelium in miners is associated not only with age, but also with working conditions. The revealed changes predispose to the development of cardiovascular pathology associated with atherosclerosis in workers of underground chrome ore mining.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.