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Biomedical subjects

S Kowalska

Publications and source records attributed to S Kowalska.

32 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

[Internal ear damage in vibration syndrome caused by local vibration].

Unlike with the vibration syndrome caused by general vibration whose clinical picture may exhibit internal ear impairments in the of hearing losses and vestibular disturbances, similar lesions in the vibration syndrome due to local vibration have not been confirmed explicitly. For better explanation of this issue, analysed were the results of audiometric and electronystagmographic (ENG) tests in a group of 40 otologically healthy++ men, in whom during 1986-1987 the angioneurotic vibration syndrome was diagnosed. The results were analysed considering subjects' age and duration of work in exposure; evaluation involved the increase in hearing thresholds for pure tones (audiometer Peters AP-6) and quantitative and qualitative changes in ENG records (electronystamograph Tonnies D-420 TS), calculating, among others, amplitudes and angular velocity of nystagmus slow phase. In 75% of subjects (30 persons) sensorineural hearing losses of different degree were found, mostly within the 3000-8000 Hz range, demonstrating a directly proportional dependence on the length of employment. Symptoms of vestibular disturbances in ENG records were detected in 57.2% (23) persons with marked predominance of the cases of vibration exposure over 10 years. The authors analyse mechanisms of the development of internal ear impairments in result of local vibration and concomitant noise.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

[Epidemiology of occupational cancer of the upper respiratory tract in Poland 1971-1985].

Incidence of the occupational cancer of the upper respiratory tract has been assessed on the basis of analysis of the data from central register of the occupational disease recognized by the state sanitary-epidemiological service. 99 cases versus 374 all registered occupational cancers of different target organs were found, entirely in men of the mean age 53.6 +/- 6.8 years, and of mean exposure duration 21.3 +/- 8.3 years. The greatest number of cases concerned the workers employed in engineering (23.2%) metallurgical (18.2%) and chemical (14.1%) industry in age groups 50-59 years (55.5%) and duration 16-20 years and above (75.6%). Among carcinogens identified in the work environment, tars, soots and oils with content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (46.5%), chromium compounds (24.3%), "other" chemicals like ferric oxide, dichlorobenzidine, N-Phenyl-2-naphthylamine (9.1%), and asbestos (9.1%) have predominated in proportions given in brackets. In the major part of cases analysed in the study, the larynx was affected (86.9%), and only individual cancers were localized within oral cavity (7.1%), pharynx (4.0%), nose and nasal sinuses (2.0%). Finally, some general difficulties with identification of human environmental carcinogens, and with explaining possible associations between specific cancer sites and industrial chemicals action have been discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

[A permanent noise-induced shift in the auditory threshold in textile industry workers].

Hearing thresholds have been measured in 236 cotton weaving mill workers (124 women: average age 42.5 +/- 11.2 years, average length of employment 19.5 +/- 10.6 years and 112 men: average age 41.2 +/- 10.3 years, average length of employment 19.0 +/- 11.1 years) exposed to continuous broadband noise of the constant level of approx. 100 dB-A. 90% of subjects exhibited the permanent threshold shift characterized by a great individual variability and maximum loss at the 4 kHz frequency. Those lesions were getting enhanced with increasing length of exposure and were more serious in elder age groups. No significant differences between the hearing loss intensity in men and women were found. The development of the hearing loss is characterized by its rapid increase within 3, 4 and 6 kHz during the initial 8 years of exposure, stabilization between years 9-12 and slow moderate increase within the further 13-31 years of exposure. Those conclusions should be implemented into practice through an increase in the frequency of preventive audiometric tests in the initial period of work in exposure which has such a great impact on the development of the hearing impairment.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

[Perforation of the nasal septum of occupational origin].

Perforations of nasal septum as typical effects of exposure to certain hazards are a particular health problem among the diseases of upper respiratory tract mucous membranes (entry 10 on the list of occupational diseases). To obtain more data on etiopathogenetic factors and correlations between the clinical picture and exposure duration, the documentation of the patients in whom perforation was diagnosed during 1972-1979 was analysed epidemiologically. The examinations covered 185 workers of various industrial branches-salina, chemical plants, leather plants, tanneries, electroplating plants-who developed nasal septum perforation due to local effects of working environment irritants. In the test group the nasal septum was defected mostly in those exposed to chromium compounds (46.5%) and in salina workers (44.3%). In the remaining 9.2% of subjects the septum perforation resulted from exposure to arsenic, nickel, silicone compounds, cadmium, fluorine, soda and ammonia. The clinical course of the disease was presented as classified by industrial branch, occupational exposure, age and length of employment. In addition, procedures of diagnostics, certification and prevention were considered.

Abscess↗
PubMed1982

[Hearing disorders in industrial workers: clinical analysis of the cases observed in the audiological laboratory of the Lódź Institute of Occupational Medicine during the years 1976-1980].

The documentation of 697 cases with suspected, as suggested by regional health service units, occupational aetiology, was analysed. Within consultation those cases underwent complex audiological evaluation at the Laboratory of Audiology, using following examinations: pure tone threshold and suprathreshold audiometry, malingering tests, speech audiometry and electronystagmographic tests. The findings revealed that only 30% of subjects confirmed noise-induced hearing loss. 65.2% of those subjects exhibited cochlear localization, whereas in the remaining 34.8% the results of audiological tests showed retrocochlear impairment. The calculated mean hearing losses were characterized by symmetrical changes both in the right and left ear, as well as by directly proportional dependence on subjects' duration and exposure and age, men having more advanced hearing loss than women, despite identical mean parameters of age and exposure of both sexes. In 70% cases hearing losses were not regarded as occupational diseases, which resulted from: functional disturbances found in form of aggravation and simulation (15.3%), the presence of hearing loss lesser than the one specified by the certification rule (15.1%), post--inflammatory and adhesional changes in the middle ear (12.3%) and lack of significant exposure to noise (8.3%). It has been settled that the major causes of the diagnostic errors that we had detected were: deficient audiometric apparatus, erroneous technics of hearing measurements (among others--without masking), lack of the determination of hearing thresholds for bone conduction, drawing conclusions from single examinations, giving up simulating tests, improper evaluation of the data on occupational exposure. The considerations summing up the results of analysis include an optimum methodology of audiological studies, required standard conditions of audiometry and principles of differential diagnostics as indispensable elements of proper certification procedures in setting up the hearing impairments etiology in industrial workers.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

[State of the hearing and equilibrium organs in workers exposed to carbon monoxide].

In 78 men occupationally exposed to carbon monoxide, audiometric and electronystagmographic examinations have been carried out. In 66.6% of cases, receptive hearing impairment has been found. Vestibular changes, found in 79.5% of the group concerned, are regarded as typical and frequent effects of CO exposure. The results confirm ototoxic effects of carbon monoxide.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

[State of the organ of hearing and equilibrium in acute carbon monoxide poisoning].

The examinations covered 50 patients (28 females and 24 males), aged 30.1 (+/- 12.1) hospitalized for accidental and suicidal acute CO poisoning. 17 patients were exposed for 50 minutes to 2--3 hr and 9 patients for 6 hr. The remaining patients failed to establish for how long they had had contact with the poison. All the patients underwent tonal threshold and suprathreshold audiometric examinations and electronystagmographic examination at rest following kinetic and optokinetic stimulation. 21 (42%) patients developed bilateral receptive hearing impairment of various degree, mostly (80%) extracochlear impairment. 3 cases (6%) were close to deafness. 43 patients (86%) had vestibular organ impaired, as shown by idiopathic nystagmus in 7 persons (14%), nystagmoidal movements and square waves in 24 persons (48%), asymmetry in reaction in 30 patients (60%), areflection in 2 patients (4%) and abnormal optokinesis in 20 patients (40%).

Adult↗
PubMed1979

[Ear protective plugs].

The authors present results of studies of application of polyurethane foam to produce individual sound-absorbing ear plugs. In addition to physico-mechanical properties of the foam, the authors present its optimum prescribed composition, ensuring appropriate attenuation qualities, flexibility, softness and long -- lasting strain relaxation -- i.e. the conditions resulting in excellent filling of external auditory meatus, masking effect and utilization comfort. The efficiency of attenuation of sounds by the plugs, tested audiometrically by the method of auditory threshold shift in otologically healthy subjects ranges from 12.25 dB (250 Hz) to 29.75 dB (4000 Hz). No significant inflammatory reactions in external ear skin were found after 8 hrs of continuous wearing of ranges under the work conditions typical for the textile industry. The results demonstrate that the polyurethane foam, developed by the authors, are valuable ear protectors, of advantageous functional qualities.

Ear Protective Devices↗
PubMed1979

[Respiratory tract in workers chronically exposed to cement dust].

175 men working at productive divisions of a cement plant (average age 39,5 years +/- 8.3, average duration of employment 9.3 years +/- 4.8) and 50 controls (average age 38.7 +/- 11.9 and average duration of employment 10.7 +/- 10.0) were examined. The survey involved: a complex evaluation of respiratory tract, including internal, radiological, spirographic, gasometric and capnographic examinations. The results demonstrated chronic bronchitis in 17% of cement plant workers and in 10% of controls. Qualitatively, chronic bronchitis was more advanced in cement plant workers. Chronic bronchitis prevalence increased with duration of work in exposure to cement dust. Chest radiograms gave no cause for diagnosing pneumoconiosis in any case. Mean values of dynamic spirographic indices were lower than in controls, the differences were, however, statistically insignificant. Instead, the mean values of partial pressures of carbon dioxide and oxygen were statistically significantly lower, than those in controls, though they did not differ much from normal values.

Bronchitis↗