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Biomedical subjects

F S Violante

Publications and source records attributed to F S Violante.

36 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

[Endoscopy findings in gastroduodenal pathology in a group of welders].

Fourteen welders were examined with the purpose to evaluate the incidence and the type of pathologic changes of the gastrointestinal tract due to the exposure to welding fumes. The medical examination was followed by endoscopic and bioptic study of gastric and duodenal mucosa. The results show the presence of pathologic changes, mainly of flogistic type, in all the microscopic investigations, although the appearance of the mucosa was generally normal. Moreover, the results of this investigation suggest that pathologic changes of gastrointestinal tract could precede those of the respiratory tract.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Study of DDT blood level in a group of workers exposed to pesticides.

Blood levels of DDT, DDE, and other DDT metabolites were determined in a group of workers with previous occupational exposure to DDT as spraymen. The larger part of total DDT was in the form of metabolite DDE, which is thought to be introduced into the human body primarily from external sources. Total DDT blood level was correlated positively with both age and occupational exposure (R = 0.58 and 0.52, respectively), and linear regressions between storage and these variables were demonstrated. Although the storage of these compounds in body fat was not studied, the analysis of covariance showed a significant increase of DDT blood level in the group of workers with longer occupational exposure, which was not dependent on age.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Microtrauma radial thrombosis].

The articles describes a case of radial artery thrombosis by repeated microtrauma. It describes, by one side, the occupational history, the personal habits and the typical movement and condition of the hands while working, on the other, the clinical and diagnostic picture of radial artery thrombosis. Then it shows the correlation between occupational factors and radial artery thrombosis and so the occupational genesis (repetitive microtrauma) of the disease.

Cumulative Trauma Disorders↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Biomechanical overload diseases: epidemiologic data].

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are a major problem for industrialised societies, particularly in view of the elevated prevalence of low back pain (LBP) and carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) among manual workers. Epidemiological studies show that work-related risk factors, such as lifting, twisting, bending, exposure to whole body vibration, and prolonged postures are prominent risk factors for LBP. For CTS, repetitive movements, hand-arm vibrations and use of forceful hand movements appear to be the major work-related risk factors. Psychological and psychosocial factors can also affect the onset of both disorders. This review provides an overview of the main evidence in the scientific literature on these issues.

Biomechanical Phenomena↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Progress of studies promoted by the MODS collaborative group].

In industrialised countries, carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is considered an epidemic work-related disease. We have set up the MODS (Malattie Occupazionali Da Sovraccarico biomeccanico, biomechanical overload-related occupational diseases) collaborative group, formed by epidemiologists, ergonomists and occupational physicians to investigate CTS in Italy, applying the methods that epidemiologists commonly use to understand epidemics. Several studies are already ongoing. Two different descriptive studies based on current hospitalisation data are in the reporting phase. A pilot case-control multicentre study (260 cases and 520 controls in 13 centres) is in the final phase of data collection. A longitudinal study on a cohort of 3000 subjects exposed to different risk factors has reached the third year of follow-up. Moreover, a surveillance system has been set up to cover selected districts of the Emilia Romagna region. These studies will generate new information about the prevalence and incidence of CTS in Italy, along with identification of regional, high-risk job titles and work sectors, and the relative influence of non-occupational factors.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Occupational Medicine Programme in the university degree on prevention techniques in living and working environments].

This document has been prepared by a working group of University Professors belonging to the Italian Society of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, with the aim of defining the role of this discipline in the university course on Prevention Techniques in Working and Living Environments. The course trains health professionals to apply risk assessment techniques, preventive measures and legislative tools for safety and health in working and living environments, food and beverages hygiene, and Public Health. The document describes the organization and the structure of the course, general and specific learning objectives, occupational medicine teaching and other organization aspects. Also, training of non-graduate technicians working for local health authorities is discussed.

Curriculum↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Work-related musculoskeletal disorders and diseases of the arm].

Among work-related diseases, musculoskeletal disorders of the upper extremities have obtained increasing attention in recent last decades. Because of their relevance, the Italian Society of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene has decided to draw up a set of National Guidelines on the subject. This paper discusses their production and contents, including definitions, rationale, physiopathogenesis, occupational physician's contribution to biomechanical overload risk evaluation, medical surveillance of exposed workers.

Arm↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[OCTOPUS: longitudinal study on carpal tunnel syndrome and work].

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), the commonest nerve entrapment syndrome, is one of the most frequent occupational disorders related to manual work. Both occupational and personal risk factors make it difficult to recognize the true origin of its occurrence and to devise prevention strategies. Most of the information available about occupational CTS originates from cross-sectional studies on various job titles, where the prevalence of the disease has been reported to vary between 0.6% and 61%. Few longitudinal studies are available on occupational CTS. Consensus has been reached about the criteria to diagnose CTS in epidemiological studies. However, different methods are used by different investigators to assess exposure to repetition and force, the two factors which appear to be most important in originating the disease. This could help explain the difficulty in establishing a sound exposure-effect relationship (an indispensable basis for setting exposure limits). To help fill the gap in knowledge regarding occupational CTS incidence and its relationship to occupational exposure we are performing a large longitudinal multisector study, denominated OCTOPUS. OCTOPUS has been designed to assess the incidence of CTS in a large cohort of workers employed in different sectors and exposed to different level of repetitive and forceful manual work and to relate the incidence of the disease to the possible casual factors and their variation over time. Herein, the study protocol is described.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Use of TLV-ACGIH (HAL) and Strain Index for the evaluation of the upper extremity biomechanical overload].

Pathologies due to repetitive activity of the upper limb, well known in scientific literature as WMSDs (Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorders), are considerably increased in the last years. At the moment, there are no validated methods for the assessment of the work-related risk. This study compares two different methods proposed in literature for the assessment of the work-related risk, combining objective and subjective measures.

Arm↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Evidence-based medical surveillance in occupational health].

One of the major issues in Public Health is the effective allocation of resources to appropriate and efficient interventions. Medical surveillance is a part of the complex management of prevention in the Occupational Health and Safety field. The aim of the study is to present the efficacy and effectiveness of medical surveillance through an overview of articles and reviews (only one systematic review) found on scientific electronic databases (PubMed and Embase). Although the literature reports a lack of data, two main themes were selected and discussed: the quality of preventive actions and the cost-effectiveness of medical surveillance.

Evidence-Based Medicine↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Effectiveness studies in the Italian Society of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene congresses (1989-2003)].

BACKGROUND: Knowledge of the results of studies on effectiveness of preventive interventions is a fundamental requirement in occupational medicine. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this review was to identify Italian scientific production regarding this issue in the proceedings of the Italian Society of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene congresses over the last fifteen years. METHODS: An initial selection of the communications on intervention effectiveness studies was performed on the basis of titles, aims, tables and figures of each single presentation. A further selection was made via full reading of the previously selected communications. The selected articles were classified by type of strategy discussed, production sector, study design and several other criteria. RESULTS: 108 studies were selected out of the 3215 papers (3.4%) published in the congress proceedings examined (1989-2003). More than half of these discussed technical control strategies. In the vast majority of cases, the study design was a pre- and post-evaluation of effectiveness, and the 6 (non-randomised) trials concerned vaccination programmes. Almost a quarter of the studies on accident prevention regarded the effectiveness of training programmes. Only 5 studies could be detected in Medline as articles later published in international journals. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of the Italian Society of Occupational Medicine congress proceedings over the last 15 years, the percentage of communications concerning effectiveness of preventive interventions in occupational health was 3.4%. Intervention effectiveness papers published in congress proceedings seem to reveal a quite unexpected production of effectiveness evaluation studies. Nonetheless, recommendations need to be made to improve study design and to promote effective prevention and control strategies.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Fast CYP2E1 genotyping using automated fluorescent detection.

BACKGROUND: Among polymorphic genes coding for xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes, the ethanol-inducible CYP2E1 gene (1667 bp) is known to play a major role in the metabolism ofseveral chemicals. OBJECTIVES: In order to apply large-scale genotyping, we explored the use of a Single Nucleotide Primer Extension (SNuPE) assay coupled with automated fluorescent detection to assess the presence of low-frequency CYP2E1*5B (c2) allele. METHODS: a classic PCR-RFLP (Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism) method specific for polymorphic5'-flanking region of CYP2E1 gene was tested in conjunction with a newly developed accelerated SNuPE assay. RESULTS: compared to the classic PCR-RFLP method, the accelerated SNuPE assay proved to be both sensitive and specific for fast CYP2E1 genotyping. CONCLUSIONS: automated fluorescent methods as SNuPE assay are usefulfor public health perspectives, allowing rapid genotyping of metabolic genes in large population studies in clinical or epidemiological settings.

Alleles↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Entrapment of the ulnar nerve at the elbow caused by repetitive movements: description of a clinical case].

The paper describes a case of ulnar neuropathy in a man who made household fittings and toys using bamboo. Several years after starting the job he showed symptoms and physical signs of ulnar nerve entrapment at the elbow, which were confirmed by electrophysiological findings. Job analysis revealed biomechanical risk factors consisting of a high repetition of forceful flexion and extension of the elbow, wrist and fingers without sufficient rest periods. Chronic musculoskeletal overuse gradually leads to tendon and nerve disorders. The ulnar neuropathy described can be classed under cumulative occupational trauma, which is the most important cause of musculoskeletal disorders among the working population.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Repetitive movement of the upper limbs: results of a current exposure evaluation and a clinical investigation in workers employed in the preparation of pork meat in the province of Modena].

Exposure assessment tests were undertaken to measure the biomechanical overload factors affecting the upper limbs. The tests were carried out on a group of 86 workers employed on the cutting, boning and trimming line of a pork meat processing plant. Anamnestic screening and clinical tests targeted at correlated disorders were also performed and were followed by instrumental tests. The results are reported with respect to frequency of repetitive technical actions, degree of muscular involvement, postural risk, several complementary factors and distribution of recovery periods. The clinical investigation showed a high prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome, tendon disorders of the hand and epicondylosis of the elbow, in addition to other disorders. The report confirms the presence of additional risks for the workers, both in the past and under present circumstances, and suitable preventive measures are formulated.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Biomechanical pathology of the upper limb: a new epidemic?].

Work-related upper limb disorders are one leading occupational diseases in many industrialized countries. The paper reviews the evidence of work-relatedness of the most common upper limb disorders (namely carpal tunnel syndrome, hand-wrist and shoulder tendinitis, trapezius myalgia, hand hammer syndrome). Attention is drawn to the difference in the number of reported cases in Italy and other countries, assuming, as an underlying cause, underreporting of such conditions in Italy.

Arm↗