3702671178

J, IŻYCKI

PATHOGENESIS, CLINICAL PICTURE AND DIAGNOSTICS OF THE VIBRATION SYNDROME WITH A PARTICULAR REGARD TO THE DISTURBED VIBRATION SENSITIVITY

Summa ry

The paper ie aiaed at an evaluation of the effecte of chronic exp08ure to local ylbration with a partlcular regard to the dlsturbances ln vlbration 8eneltlvity and aettlng up the correlatlon between the ylbration sensitiyi-ty threshold, eraployaent duration, and adyanceaent of the ylbration syndrone.

The exaainatlons covered 398 workers eraployed ae grindere, nouLders, clea-ners, polishers, sawers, and spring forgers, representing dlfferent techni-ques of work performance, dlfferent tools operatlon and dlfferent occupatio-nal exposure.

The exaalnatlon8 Inyolyed: generał medlcal examinatlons, neurologlcał examlnatlon_f examlnatlon of ylbration sensltiyity,coollng test, press-nall test, skin theraoaetry, and X-ray of bones and upper extremltl68 Joints.The ylbration sensltiyity threahold was determined by the pallesthesloeeter pro-duced by the Central Instltute of Labour Protection in Warsaw. V±bration sen-8itiylty was examined by testing the finger-tlps II, III, IV and V of both handa at the frequency rangę of 63-800 Hz* Dlsturbances in ylbration sen3i-tivlty wsre deteralned baslng on the arithnetical mean of the ylbration sen-8itivity threshold level in dB, measured on fingers II, III and IV at the frequency rangę of 250, 400 and 500 Hz.

Vibration sensltiyity dlsturbances occurred in 77,9% workers exposed to ylbration. A considerable degree of adyancenent was found. The highest vib-ratlon sensltiyity threshold yalues, exceeding 100 dB, were found in autoao-tive spanner grlnders and spring forgers, wherea9 the lowest - of 90 dB-in eawers. No psrception was obseryed of ylbratlons of the frequency rangę of 500 Hz in those occupational group9 that exhibited high ylbration sensiti-vity threshold and considerable occupational expo9ure.

Workers of all examined populations exhiblted eignlficantly higher vib-ration sensltiyity threshold yalues, 89 conpared to the yalues of the con-trol group. A distinct Increase in the ylbration sensltiyity threshold, de-pendlng on the employment length, wae found. This Increase wa9 most dynamie in those worklng for 2-10 year9.

A elear dependence wa9 found between the ylbration sensltiyity dlsturbances and advancement of the ylbration 9yndrome angloneurotic form. Wlth adyanceraent of the dlsease, ylbration sensltiyity threshold inereased, acqui-ring the highest yalues et its thlrd stage.

In those exposed to ylbration who did not develop occupational dlsease, ylbration sensltiyity threshold was also inereased, as compared to ylbration sensltiyity level found in the control group (p < 0.001).

Flndings indicate the usefulness of pallesthesloaetrlc method of ylbra-

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