BackgroundThe association between occupational noise exposure and hypertension is inconsistent because of an exposure bias caused by outer-ear measurements of noise levels among workers. This study used hearing loss values (HLVs) measured at 4 kHz and 6 kHz in both ears as a biomarker to investigate the chronic effects of noise exposure on hypertension in 790 aircraft-manufacturing workers.MethodsParticipants were divided into a high hearing loss (HL) group (n = 214; average HLVs ≥ 30 decibel [dB] at 4 kHz or 6 kHz bilaterally; 83.1 ± 4.9 A-weighted decibel [dBA]), a median HL group (n = 302; 15 ≤ average HLVs < 30 dB at 4 kHz or 6 kHz bilaterally; 83.1 ± 4.4 dBA) and a low HL group (n = 274; average HLVs < 15 dB at 4 kHz or 6 kHz bilaterally; 82.2 ± 5.1 dBA) based on the results of pure tone audiometry. Multivariate logistic regressions were used to estimate the risk of hypertension between groups.ResultsThe prevalence rates of hypertension were significantly higher in the high HL (43.5%; p = 0.021) and median HL (42.1%; p = 0.029) groups than in the low HL group (33.2%). The high HL and median HL workers had 1.48-fold (95% confidence interval [95%CI] = 1.02-2.15; p = 0.040) and 1.46-fold (95%CI = 1.03-2.05; p = 0.031) higher risks of hypertension relative to the low HL workers. Employment duration was significantly and positively correlated with the risk of hypertension among workers with average HLVs ≥ 15 dB at 4 kHz (p < 0.001) and 6 kHz (p < 0.001) bilaterally.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that high-frequency hearing loss is a good biomarker of occupational noise exposure and that noise-induced hearing loss may be associated with the risk of hypertension.
This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the concentration of indoor volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and to investigate the association between indoor VOCs exposure and the prevalence of hypertension among thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) workers. A total of 20 canisters were used to collect VOCs samples in the array, cell and module areas over 12 hours and VOCs concentrations were analyzed by the gas chromatography with mass spectrum. Individual information of health examination and lifestyles by self-administrated questionnaire were provided by 155 volunteers. The multivariate regression models were used to evaluate the associations between VOCs exposure, blood pressure and the prevalence of hypertension. The four dominant VOCs were ethanol (1870.8 ± 1754.0 ppb), acetone (689.9 ± 587.4 ppb), isopropyl alcohol (177.1 ± 202.3 ppb) and propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate (98.2 ± 100.8 ppb), which were identified with the highest level in the module area for ethanol and acetone and in the array area for the others. Subjects exposed to a total level of ethanol, cyclohexanone and toluene ≥ 2500 ppb had an increased systolic blood pressure of 5.95 mmHg (95% confidence interval: 0.20–11.71; p = 0.043) compared with those exposed to <2500 ppb. Exposure to mixed VOCs in the indoor environment might be associated with elevated blood pressure among TFT-LCD workers.
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