Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Bovenzi, Massimo
• D'Agostin, Flavia
• Rui, Francesca
• Ambrosi, Luigi
• Zefferino, Roberto

Titel

Salivary Endothelin and Vascular Disorders in vibration-exposed Workers

Ist Teil von

• Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment ＆ Health, 2008-04, Vol.34 (2), p.133-141

Ort / Verlag

Helsinki: Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment ＆ Health

Erscheinungsjahr

2008

Quelle

MEDLINE

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Objectives This study investigated the relation between salivary endothelin, vibration exposure, and vascular disorders in a group of forestry workers. Methods Altogether 54 forestry workers and 52 controls underwent a medical examination and a cold test with measurement of the percentage of change in finger systolic blood pressure after finger cooling from 30°C to 10°C (FSBP% 10°). Salivary endothelin concentration (ET,₁₋₂₁, in fmol/ml) was measured by a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay before and after the cold challenge. The anamnestic diagnosis of vibrationinduced white finger (VWF), assisted by color charts, was based on the Stockholm Workshop criteria. Results Six forestry workers (11%) and one control (2%) reported white fingers. Before the cold challenge, the salivary ET₁₋₂₁, concentration was significantly greater in the VWF workers than in the controls (P=0.036). The cold response of digital arteries was stronger in the VWF workers than in the controls (P<0.001) and the asymptomatic forestry workers (P=0.008). After the cold test, there was a small, not significant, increase in the salivary ET₁₋₂₁ concentration in both the controls and the forestry workers. For the latter, the salivary ET,₁₋₂₁concentration was significantly associated with both daily and total operating time with vibrating tools. A significant inverse relation between FSBP% 10° and the salivary ET₁₋₂₁ concentration was observed for the forestry workers with an abnormal cold response in their digital arteries. Conclusions This study showed an association between salivary ET₁₋₂₁ concentration, daily and cumulative vibration exposure, and vascular disorders in the fingers of professional forestry workers. Since ET₁₋₂₁ can induce powerful and long-lasting constriction of human vessels, these findings suggest a possible role of this vasopeptide in the pathogenesis of VWF.