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Biomedical subjects

B E Moen

Publications and source records attributed to B E Moen.

54 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Symptoms of the musculoskeletal system and exposure to magnetic fields in an aluminium plant.

OBJECTIVE: The study was performed to examine the influence of the exposure to magnetic fields in the potrooms of an electrolysis plant on the occurrence of musculoskeletal symptoms among the employees. The study was performed after much discussion and worry in the aluminium industry about this issue. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed at an aluminium plant. The occurrence of musculoskeletal symptoms registered at health controls performed by the occupational health care unit in 1986 and 1991 was assessed from employees exposed to magnetic fields in the potrooms (n = 342) and from a control group (n = 277). The data were collected before the discussion about the effects of magnetic fields started. The exposure to static magnetic fields was found to be 3-20 mT inside the potrooms. Ripple components (alternating currents (AC fields)) were registered as well. RESULTS: No difference between the exposed and unexposed groups was found for the reported musculoskeletal symptoms in 1986 or in 1991. CONCLUSIONS: There seems to be no relation between work in potrooms with exposure to static magnetic fields and the occurrence of musculoskeletal symptoms.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[Practical teaching in occupational medicine. A good angle of approach in preventive medicine].

A new teaching programme in occupational medicine was established in Bergen in 1991, as a joint project between the Institute of Occupational Medicine and several doctors engaged in occupational medicine in the Bergen area. The medical students, in groups of five, visit one of these company doctors for one day. During this day, they learn about the Occupational Health Care Unit, visit a company together with the doctor, and interview one employee. The education was evaluated by the students in 1992 and 1993. The comments from the students led to some changes in the programme. Student satisfaction was high, with a slight increase from 1992 to 1993. The programme led to increased enthusiasm for occupational medicine among the students.

Curriculum↗
PubMed1994

[The chemical working environment among car painters in Bergen].

Official guidelines have been prepared for the working environment in Norwegian spraylacquering garages, in order to reduce the incidence of symptoms and diseases related to exposure to organic solvents. 11 garages were visited to see if the guidelines were being followed. All the sprayers (n = 28) were examined by questionnaire about the occurrence of acute symptoms connected to the central nervous system, the skin, the eyes and the airways during work, and about their use of personal protective equipment. All the garages had specially ventilated rooms for the lacquering procedure, and all the workers used personal respiratory protective equipment. The sprayers did not report more acute symptoms than a control group of office workers employed in the same companies.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗
PubMed1994

Mortality among seamen with special reference to work on tankers.

BACKGROUND: Several studies demonstrate a high mortality among seamen but this has not been related to different types of work on board. This study examined a possible relationship between work on tankers and mortality. Tankers differ from other ships by carrying different types of oil, oil products and other chemicals. METHODS: Mortality was studied in 1687 men who were captains and mates during the period 1970-1987, and were registered by a Norwegian census in 1970. The data were linked to the Norwegian Register of Death Certificates. In all 181 deaths were found. Each case was age-matched at time of death to three individuals from the rest of the population alive at this date. Information about the seamen's work on different ships was obtained for cases and controls. The data were analysed using multivariate conditional logistic regression. RESULTS: Seamen working on tankers had a higher mortality rate ratio (RR = 2.43, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.65-3.60) than seamen who had not been working on tankers. The increased risk was especially related to death from cancer and from accidents, while no significantly increased mortality due to cardiovascular diseases was found. Employment as a mate on tankers showed the highest all-causes risk of death (RR = 3.14, 95% CI: 2.04-4.82) as well as for cancer (RR = 4.24, 95% CI: 2.02-8.88) and accidents (RR = 5.85, 95% CI: 1.66-20.60). Employment as a captain on tankers showed no significantly increased mortality. CONCLUSION: Exposure to chemicals on tankers may be related to the increased mortality, as this is the major difference between tankers and other ships and mates are exposed to chemical agents, while captains are not.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed1992

Drinking habits and laboratory tests in seamen with and without chemical exposure.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate possible differences in drinking habits among seamen exposed to organic solvents and other hydrocarbon compounds compared to unexposed seamen. Information about alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems was obtained by using an abbreviated version of the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test, as well as additional questions about the quantity of alcohol consumption. Also, tests of serum gamma-glutamyl transferase and mean corpuscular volume were performed to reveal possible chronic toxic effects of chemical exposure and alcohol consumption, as physicians often use these blood tests in their health controls of seamen. The relationships between chemical exposure, age, smoking and alcohol consumption and results from blood tests were analyzed by using multiple regression analyses. Seamen exposed to organic solvents and other hydrocarbon compounds had more alcohol-related problems and more months of heavy drinking than did unexposed seamen. The previous year's alcohol consumption was similar in the two groups. A relationship between alcohol consumption and chemical exposure was not found. No correlation was found between chemical exposure and the results from the blood tests. Routine monitoring of gamma-glutamyl transferase and mean corpuscular volume did not seem useful in the evaluation of chemical hazards.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[Physicians' work load. A comparison between company physicians and general practitioners in private practice].

The authors describe and compare the work load of 26 general practitioners and 17 company doctors. All of them worked full time. The information was collected by means of a structured telephone interview. The results indicate a higher work load among general practitioners than among company doctors. Despite this, the general practitioners plan to remain working longer than the company doctors do. In both groups of doctors there were some who believed they risked developing the "burn-out syndrome". This problem was found among the youngest doctors, female doctors and doctors with a large number of consultations daily.

Burnout, Professional↗
PubMed1991

[Cancer among captains and mates on Norwegian tankers].

1,687 registered captains and mates from a Norwegian census in 1970 were monitored up to 1987. By matching the data from the census with data from the Norwegian Cancer Registry we discovered 104 cases of cancer. A control group of 376 was chosen among those without cancer. A nested case-control study design was used. The material was analysed using multivariate logistic regression. Increased risk of developing cancer was found in the group of seamen who had been working on tankers, especially among seamen who had been working as mate on these tankers. Exposure to chemicals is the major factor distinguishing tankers from other ships. Mates are exposed to chemicals while captains are not. The study indicates the presence of carcinogenic agents on these tankers.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Work with chemicals on deck of Norwegian chemical tankers.

The chemical environment on deck of Norwegian chemical tankers in 1985/1986 is described using information obtained from an interview of 85 seamen. The seamen are exposed to vapours from volatile chemicals during several working operations, such as loading, unloading and cleaning of the tanks. The major exposure is probably to organic solvents and other hydrocarbon compounds, both in the cargo and in the chemicals used in the cleaning processes. Captains experience almost no chemical exposure. Mates, pumpmen and able seaman may receive exposure of a similar kind and magnitude, but there are individual differences within each group of seamen. The eldest seamen seem to be more exposed to chemicals than the younger. Symptoms of acute intoxication occur in 35% of the seamen, related to work with organic solvents, to tank cleaning work and to insufficient use of protective respiratory equipment. Improvements of the chemical environment on board are recommended, to prevent acute and chronic effects of volatile chemical compounds. Better information concerning chemical hazards and prevention of these on chemical tankers seem to be of major importance.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Prognosis of patients with nervous system lesions caused by organic solvents].

19 patients with chronic organic solvent intoxication of the nervous system were interviewed and examined three years after the diagnosis was set. The study shows a significant reduction of subjective symptoms, especially among the youngest patients. Clinical neurological examination was almost unchanged. 18 of the patients were no longer occupationally exposed to organic solvents. Six patients were still working, and three other patients were being re-educated. Most of the patients were followed by general practitioners.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Reduced performance in tests of memory and visual abstraction in seamen exposed to industrial solvents.

Eighty-five seamen exposed to a variety of organic solvents and hydrocarbon compounds during their work on chemical tankers were compared with 59 unexposed seamen. Visual memory, auditory memory and visual abstraction were examined 14 days or more after the last solvent exposure. Multivariate analyses were performed to control the effects of confounding factors such as age, alcohol consumption, smoking, cerebral concussions and educational level. Significant correlations were found between increasing solvent exposure and poor results in tests of auditory memory and visual abstraction. These results indicate adverse psychological effects caused by chronic organic solvent exposure.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Cancer among captains and mates on Norwegian tankers.

A cohort of 1687 registered captains and mates from a Norwegian census in 1970 was followed until 1987 using a historical prospective design. By matching the data from the census to the Norwegian Cancer Registry, 104 cases of cancer were found. A control group of 376 was chosen among non-cases at baseline (1970). Information about the seamen's work on different ships was obtained from the National Register of Norwegian Seamen. The material was analysed using multivariate logistic regression. An increased risk of developing cancer was found in the group of seamen who had been working on tankers, especially oil tankers (OR = 6.47, 95%CI: 1.14, 7.24). The increased risk was found to be significantly correlated to working as mate on these tankers (OR = 6.95, 95%CI: 3.70, 13.04), whereas working as captain showed a much lower risk (OR = 1.42, 95%CI: 0.64, 3.15). Chemical exposure is the major factor separating tankers from other ships. Mates are exposed to chemicals while captains are not. The study indicates the presence of several carcinogenic agents on these tankers.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Cerebrospinal fluid proteins and free amino acids in patients with solvent induced chronic toxic encephalopathy and healthy controls.

The concentrations of protein, albumin, IgG, and free amino acids in the cerebrospinal fluid of 16 patients with chronic toxic encephalopathy due to organic solvents were measured. The patient group consisted of all patients with this diagnosis in a neurological department in 1985. The diagnosis was based on neuraesthenic symptoms, pathological psychometric performance, and verified exposure to neurotoxic organic solvents. A control group of 16 patients with myalgias or backache, or both, and no signs of disease was used for comparison. The purpose was to study possible changes in the cerebrospinal fluid that might contribute to understanding the aetiology of solvent induced chronic toxic encephalopathy. A rise in protein, albumin, and IgG was found in the patient group compared with the control group, as well as reduced concentrations of phosphoethanolamine, taurine, homocarnosine, ethanolamine, alpha-aminobutyric acid, and leucine. Using a stepwise multiple regression analysis, taurine was negatively correlated to exposure to solvents. These findings may indicate membrane alterations in the central nervous system related to exposure to organic solvents.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

A nested case-control study of disability pension among seamen, with special reference to neuropsychiatric disorders and exposure to solvents.

A cohort of 1,687 captains and mates from different types of ships were followed for recording of disability pension from 1970 to 1986. 199 cases were found. At date of diagnosis each case was age-matched to 4 randomly selected seamen within the rest of the cohort at risk. A strong relationship between disability pension due to neuropsychiatric diagnoses and work on tankers was found, especially when restricted to work as a mate on the tankers. These mates experience the highest exposure to organic solvents within the investigated group. The findings indicate an occurrence of chronic nervous system disorders due to long-term exposure to organic solvents.

Case-Control Studies↗
PubMed1990

Cerebellar lesion, polyneuropathy and mental dysfunction in a seaman working on chemical tankers.

A seaman with symptoms and signs from the nervous system was examined. He had symptoms and signs of affection of his mental status, cerebellum and peripheral nerves. He had been working on tankers for 31 years, and had regularly been exposed to different organic solvents during loading, unloading and cleaning of the tanks. As no other disease was present in this patient, the existence of a chronic organic solvent intoxication syndrome was suggested.

Cerebellum↗
PubMed1988

Seamen exposed to organic solvents. A cross-sectional study with special reference to the nervous system.

A cross-sectional study of 85 long-term solvent exposed seamen working on chemical tankers compared to 59 unexposed seamen. Symptoms from the nervous system, clinical neurological findings and neurographic measurements were studied. The examinations were performed at least 2 weeks after the last solvent exposure. A stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to evaluate the dose-response relationship between the registered data on one hand and solvent exposure, employment on chemical tankers, age, alcohol and chloroquine phosphate consumption on the other. A significant correlation was found between increasing solvent exposure and reduced sensory nerve conduction velocities, as well as between increasing solvent exposure and prolonged distal latencies of motor nerves, and between increasing exposure and reduction of action potential amplitudes of sensory nerves. No correlation was found between solvent exposure and symptoms from the nervous system or clinical neurological findings.

Chloroquine↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Chemical exposure of deck crew on product tankers loading the cargo with the hatches open.

Exposure of the deck crew to volatile hydrocarbon compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon PAH compounds was observed and monitored on two Norwegian product tankers. The tankers were loading their cargo with the hatches open during the monitoring period. One of the tankers loaded gas oil. This type of cargo is not volatile, and very low concentrations of the monitored chemical PAH compounds were found on this tanker. The second tanker loaded gasoline. On this tanker high concentrations of hydrocarbon compounds were found; benzene was as high as 55 ppm, toluene was as high as 34 ppm, hydrocarbon compounds in the C5-C7 range were as high as 570 ppm, n-hexane was as high as 25 ppm. The levels of PAH-compounds were low. None of the seamen working on the deck did use respiratory protective equipment during the work. The exposure of the deck crew to volatile hydrocarbon compounds ought to be reduced on product tankers. Better routines concerning the use of respiratory protective equipment is an immediate action which ought to take place. Loading volatile cargo like gasoline with the hatches open should be avoided.

Environmental Monitoring↗