Maximal tachycardia and high cardiac strain during night shifts of emergency physicians.

PURPOSE: To compare tachycardia and cardiac strain between 24-hour shifts (24hS) and 14-hour night shifts (14hS) in emergency physicians (EPs), and to investigate key factors influencing tachycardia and cardiac strain. METHODS: We monitored heart rate (HR) with Holter-ECG in a shift-randomized trial comparing a 24hS, a 14hS, and a control day, within a potential for 19 EPs. We also measured 24-h HR the third day (D3) after both shifts. We measured perceived stress by visual analog scale and the number of life-and-death emergencies. RESULTS: The 17 EPs completing the whole protocol reached maximal HR (180.9 ± 6.9 bpm) during both shifts. Minutes of tachycardia >100 bpm were higher in 24hS (208.3 ± 63.8) than in any other days (14hS: 142.3 ± 36.9; D3/14hS: 64.8 ± 31.4; D3/24hS: 57.6 ± 19.1; control day: 39.2 ± 11.6 min, p < .05). Shifts induced a cardiac strain twice higher than in days not involving patients contact. Each life-and-death emergency enhanced 26 min of tachycardia ≥100 bpm (p < .001), 7 min ≥ 110 bpm (p < .001), 2 min ≥ 120 bpm (p < .001) and 19 min of cardiac strain ≥30% (p = .014). Stress was associated with greater duration of tachycardia ≥100, 110 and 120 bpm, and of cardiac strain ≥30% (p < .001). CONCLUSION: We demonstrated several incidences of maximal HR during shifts combined with a high cardiac strain. Duration of tachycardia were the highest in 24hS and lasted several hours. Such values are comparable to those of workers exposed to high physical demanding tasks or heat. Therefore, we suggest that EPs limit their exposure to 24hS. We, furthermore, demonstrated benefits of HR monitoring for identifying stressful events. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01874704.

[Review and perspective of a long-term follow-up of two cohorts of workers heavily exposed to asbestos]. / Bilan d'un suivi à long terme de deux cohortes de salariés fortement exposés à l'amiante et proposition d'un dépistage actif du cancer bronchique.

National screening programs for detection of breast, colon and cervical cancers have been set up in France. Occupational cancers are excluded from these programs. Surveillance is left to the initiative of former employees who can initiate post-professional medical monitoring. This study describes an experience of such monitoring organised by the health insurance in collaboration with "victims". The long term follow-up, every two years, of 324 workers directly and heavily exposed to asbestos confirms the high risk of developing lung cancer, mesothelioma or asbestosis, the latter at times rapidly evolving. The early discovery of 3 bronchopulmonary cancers points to the interest of an annual or biannual routine screening. While new imaging techniques reduce by a factor of 8 irradiation, without significantly affecting the diagnostic capacity, the health benefit provided by annual monitoring scanner in heavy smokers favors an early detection program for lung cancers. The population targeted for such a screening (active or former smoker with pleural plaques) should be defined in more detail. The increasingly frequent observation of lung or pleural changes besides the populations at risk should also be considered. Therefore the detecting procedures applied to those workers indirectly or discontinuously exposed should be reassessed (only 1 TDM at 60 y, or on retirement, for the relevant occupations). These data suggest that the recommendation HAS 2010 for post-professional screening of workers occupationally exposed to asbestos should be reconsidered, particularly in case of pleural plaques. An organized screening program needs to be overhauled.

Saliva DHEAS changes in patients suffering from psychopathological disorders arising from bullying at work.

BACKGROUND: Psychological disorders arising from bullying at work (BW) are common. The relationship between these disorders and putative markers is not well established. AIMS: To measure saliva dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) and saliva cortisol as putative markers in individuals suffering from BW. METHODS: Forty one subjects suffering from BW were screened for mental distress at the institute of occupational health in Clermont-Ferrand, France. They were compared with 28 psychologically healthy controls (group C). The conditions causing BW were recorded. The hospital anxiety and depression (HAD) scale, the Beech questionnaire and the visual analogic scale (VAS) of stress were used to determine the psychological consequences of BW. Saliva samples were collected at awakening (7 am), 30 and 60 min after awakening, and then every 2 h until bed time (11 pm). RESULTS: The BW group had significantly higher scores on the HAD scale, higher stress on the VAS, and a higher score on the Beech questionnaire. They also had a significantly higher saliva concentration of DHEAS. There was no significant difference between groups in cortisol levels at any time, nor in area under the curve (AUC) and cortisol awakening response (CAR). There was a significant positive correlation between HAD and VAS scores and DHEAS levels, but not between cortisol levels or AUC or CAR. CONCLUSION: In contrast to saliva cortisol levels, saliva DHEAS levels are modified after psychological distress arising from BW. This discrepancy probably arises from the stability conferred by the very long half life of DHEAS of about 15 h.

Heart rate regulation processed through wavelet analysis and change detection: some case studies.

Heart rate variability (HRV) is an indicator of the regulation of the heart, see Task Force (Circulation 93(5):1043-1065, 1996). This study compares the regulation of the heart in two cases of healthy subjects within real life situations: Marathon runners and shift workers. After an update on the state of the art on HRV processing, we specify our probabilistic model: We choose modeling heartbeat series by locally stationary Gaussian process (Dahlhaus in Ann Stat 25, 1997). HRV is then processed by the combination of two statistical methods: (1) Continuous wavelet transform for calculating the spectral density energy in the high frequency (HF) and low frequency (LF) bands and (2) Change point analysis to detect changes of heart regulation. Next, we plot the variations of the HF and LF energy in extreme conditions for both populations. This puts in light, that physical activities (rest, moderate sport, marathon race) can be ordered in a logical continuum. This allows to define a new index based on HF and LF energy that is log HF + log LF which appears relevant to measure HR regulation. The results obtained are pertinent but have to be completed by further studies.

Genetic polymorphisms in CYP1A1, CYP1B1, COMT, GSTP1 and NAT2 genes and association with bladder cancer risk in a French cohort.

UNLABELLED: Tobacco smoking and environmental exposures are the main known risk factors for bladder cancer (BC) via exposure to chemical carcinogens. Genetic differences in the metabolism of chemicals have been suggested to be associated with individual susceptibility to BC. Polymorphisms in genes coding to metabolising enzymes, resulting in variation of carcinogen detoxification efficiency, may therefore change the response of individuals to chemical carcinogens and be associated with an increased BC risk. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The aim of the study was to investigate the association between functional polymorphisms in CYP1A1, CYP1B1, COMT, GSTP1 and NAT2 genes and BC risk, through a hospital-based case-control study. The genotyping of 11 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) was carried out on DNA of 51 bladder cancer male patients and 45 male controls. The technique of MGB (Minor Groove Binder) probes that utilize allelic discrimination with the Taqman(R) method was used. RESULTS: Individuals with NAT2 slow acetylator genotypes had a significant increase in risk of BC compared to individuals with NAT2 rapid acetylators (OR adjusted for smoking status=2.70; 95% CI, 1.10-6.61). GSTP1 Ile(105)Val variants (deletion of one - Ile/Val- and two -Val/Val-, null genotype- copies) showed a marginal increased risk of BC with OR adjusted for smoking status of 2.27 (95% CI, 0.97-5.31) compared to individuals carrying wild-type genotype (Ile/Ile). No statistically significant effects on BC risk with CYP1A1, CYP11B1 and COMT genotypes were observed. CONCLUSION: The results are consistent with previous literature among Caucasian populations.

[The experience of the ARPEGES unit at the university hospital in Clermont-Ferrand: evaluation and management of hospital staff's occupational health]. / Expérience de l'Unité ARPEGES au CHU de Clermont-Ferrand: évaluation et gestion de la santé au travail du personnel hospitalier.

In 2003, the university hospital in Clermont-Ferrand, France, established an Analysis Unit for Occupational Hazards and Health Status Evaluation and Management (Analyses des Risques Professionels et Evaluation et Gestion de l'Etat de Santé-ARPEGES) in order to make better use of occupational health data. The unit's analyses are mostly based on a standardised questionnaire that is systematically completed during the annual occupational medical examinations, which collects information on 23 indicators of occupational and health risks. The annual analysis of the indicators contributes to a comprehensive, collective vision of health problems, and a better definition of the target areas and means for action. After four years of operation, the unit's products and results demonstrate an indisputable benefit of prevention and corrective action. This instrument for guidance modified the "culture" of the service, and today it appears essential to the definition of its orientations.

DNA repair gene ERCC2 polymorphisms and associations with breast and ovarian cancer risk.

Breast and ovarian cancers increased in the last decades. Except rare cases with a genetic predisposition and high penetrance, these pathologies are viewed as a polygenic disease. In this concept, association studies look for genetic variations such as polymorphisms in low penetrance genes, i.e. genes in interaction with environmental factors. DNA repair systems that protect the genome from deleterious endogenous and exogenous damages have been shown to have significantly reduced. In particular, enzymes of the nucleotide excision repair pathway are suspected to be implicated in cancer. In this study, 2 functional polymorphisms in a DNA repair gene ERCC2 were analyzed. The population included 911 breast cancer cases, 51 ovarian cancer cases and 1000 controls. The genotyping of 2 SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) was carried out on the population with the MGB (Minor Groove Binder) probe technique which consists of the use of the allelic discrimination with the Taqman method. This study enabled us to show an increase in risk of breast cancer with no oral contraceptive users and with women exhibiting a waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) > 0.85 for Asn homozygous for ERCC2 312.

DNA repair gene ERCC2, XPC, XRCC1, XRCC3 polymorphisms and associations with bladder cancer risk in a French cohort.

In polygenic diseases, association studies look for genetic variation such as polymorphisms in low penetrance genes, i.e. genes in interaction with environmental factors. DNA repair systems that protect the genome from deleterious endogenous and exogenous damage have been shown to significantly reduce activity. In particular, enzymes of the nucleotide excision repair pathway are suspected to be implicated in cancer. In this study bladder cancer which is viewed as a polygenic disease was investigated. The functional polymorphisms of four DNA repair genes, excision repair cross-complementing group 2 (ERCC2), Xeroderma Pigmentosum group C (XPC), and Xray repair cross-complementing groups 1 and 3 (XRCC1 and XRCC3) were analyzed. The studied population included 51 bladder cancer cases and 45 controls. The genotyping of six SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) was carried out on these populations with the MGB (Minor Groove Binder) probe technique which uses allelic discrimination with the Taqman method. The Gln allele of the XPC 939 polymorphism was found to be associated with an increase in bladder cancer risk.

[Occupational and social impact of lower back pain]. / Impact socioprofessionnel des lombalgies.

Serious and lasting lower back pain is a major source of sick leave, invalidity or loss of employment. Lower back pains has steadily accounted over the years for a quarter of occupational accidents and wasted working days. Slipped disc related radiculalgia only induced by vibrations (driving) or manhandling heavy loads and diagnosed by medical imaging are compensated. For 5 years French data have decreased from 2500 cases/year in 1999 down to 1800 cases/year observed in 2002. French compensation registering is discussed. The interest of prevention and of early and total support including the specialist, the general practitioner and the occupational physician together with the ergonomist and the human resources is pointed.

Occupational exposure factors for mental and behavioral disorders at work: The FOREC thesaurus.

BACKGROUND: Mental disorders in the workplace are a major public health problem. Knowledge of the impact of the psychosocial work environment on mental and behavioral disorders can assist occupational physicians in the identification and description of occupational risk situations, and help to define priority actions. However, no classification for occupational exposure factors is currently available. We aimed to build a thesaurus of "Organizational, Relational, Ethical and other Contributing Factors" (FOREC) linked with the onset of mental and behavioral disorders. METHODS: The French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES) initiated and supervised a multidisciplinary working group consisting of the representatives of the main French occupational and public health actors. All decisions were accepted on a consensus basis. This collaborative work led to the classification of occupational exposure factors for mental and behavioral disorders in the workplace. To test this thesaurus in clinical practice, a French multicenter study was implemented. Patients were workers referred to the Occupational Disease Centers for mental health issues at work. Factors contributing to mental and behavioral disorders among workers were identified and coded retrospectively from the worker's point of view using the FOREC thesaurus. RESULTS: We recruited 323 workers, aged 44.9±9.2 years, of which 31.3% were men. The most commonly encountered disorders were generalized anxiety disorders (106 workers, 32.8%) and moderate depressive episodes (86 workers, 26.7%). We identified 1357 factors, i.e. an average of 4.2 factors per worker. Among them, 575 (42.4%) were relational and 515 (37.9%) were organizational. All factors identified during consultations were described in the thesaurus. CONCLUSIONS: We built the first thesaurus of "Organizational, Relational, Ethical and other Contributing Factors" (FOREC) that may help to generate profiles of mental and behavioral disorders at work. Encoding and describing these exposure factors, as well as using a worldwide standardized and shared terminology, will help to identify specific workplace prevention programs.

Urine cytology screening of French workers exposed to occupational urinary tract carcinogens: a prospective cohort study over a 20-year period.

OBJECTIVES: To demonstrate that urine cytology screening can provide relevant epidemiological data for earlier detection of urothelial cancer caused by occupational exposure. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Industries using urothelial carcinogens in France. Urine samples were collected on site, after a work week and were analysed at the University Hospital of Clermont-Ferrand, France. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were workers exposed to urothelial carcinogens. Women and current smokers at time of study recruitment were exclusion criteria. OUTCOMES: Urine cells atypia were ranged into three classes: negative/normal, atypical/suspicious/dysplasia or positive/malignant. RESULTS: We included 2020 workers over a period of 20 years from 1993 to 2013: 606 worked in rubber manufacturing, 692 from metal processing, 245 in chemical industry and 477 in roadwork and building industry. Workers had a mean exposure of 15.2±10.4 years before their first urine cytology screening. There was a mean of 3.4±4.3 urine cytology screenings per worker between 1993 and 2013. 6478 cytology were normal, 462 suspicious and 13 malignant. Suspicious and malignant cytology occurred in 4.8% of workers exposed for 1-10 years, 6.2% for 11-20 years of exposure, 7.6% for 21-30 years and 8.6% for >30 years (p<0.001). Using exposure for 1-10 years as reference, the adjusted OR of receiving a suspicious or malignant diagnosis increased with duration of exposure: OR=1.50 (95% CI 1.10 to 2.05, p=0.01) for 21-30 years and OR=1.78 (95% CI 1.23 to 2.56, p=0.002) for >30 years of exposure. Using metal processing as reference, the risk of pathological urine cytology results increased for rubber manufacturing (OR=1.32, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.65, p=0.02), with a trend for roadwork and building industry (OR=1.39, 95% CI 0.98 to 1.97, p=0.07) and for chemical industry (OR=1.34, 95% CI 0.94 to 1.93, p=0.11). CONCLUSIONS: Urine cytology is a useful tool in occupational medicine. We promote new guidelines with an early screening of urothelial cancer by cytology, starting with beginning of exposure.

Paradoxical dissociation between heart rate and heart rate variability following different modalities of exercise in individuals with metabolic syndrome: The RESOLVE study.

Aims To analyse the effects of different modalities of exercise training on heart rate variability (HRV) in individuals with metabolic syndrome (MetS). Methods and results Eighty MetS participants (aged 50-70 years) were housed and managed in an inpatient medical centre for 21 days, including weekends. Physical activity and food intake/diet were intensively monitored. Participants were randomly assigned into three training groups, differing only by intensity of exercise: moderate-endurance-moderate-resistance ( re), high-resistance-moderate-endurance ( Re), and moderate-resistance-high-endurance ( rE). HRV was recorded before and after the intervention by 24-hour Holter electrocardiogram. Although mean 24-hour heart rate decreased more in Re than re (-11.6 ± 1.6 vs. -4.8 ± 2.1%; P = 0.010), low frequency/high frequency decreased more in re than Re (-20.4 ± 5.5% vs. + 20.4 ± 9.1%; P = 0.002) and rE (-20.4 ± 5.5% vs. -0.3 ± 11.1%; P = 0.003). Very low frequency increased more in Re than re (+121.2 ± 35.7 vs. 42.9 ± 11.3%; P = 0.004). For all HRV parameters, rE ranged between re and Re values. Low frequency/high frequency changes were linked with visceral fat loss only in re (coefficient 5.9, 95% CI 1.9-10.0; P = 0.004). By day 21, HRV parameters of MetS groups (heart rate -8.6 ± 1.0%, standard deviation of R-R intervals + 34.0 ± 6.6%, total power + 63.3 ± 11.1%; P < 0.001) became closer to values of 50 aged-matched healthy controls. Conclusions A 3-week residential programme with intensive volumes of physical activity (15-20 hours per week) enhanced HRV in individuals with MetS. Participants with moderate intensity of training had greater improvements in sympathovagal balance, whereas those with high intensity in resistance training had greater decreases in heart rate and greater increases in very low frequency. Modality-specific relationships were observed between enhanced HRV and visceral fat loss. Clinical Trial Registration URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT00917917.

Prevalence of dry eye disease in visual display terminal workers: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of dry eye disease (DED) in workers using visual display terminals (VDT). DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: We searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase and Science Direct databases for studies reporting DED prevalence in VDT workers. RESULTS: 16 of the 9049 identified studies were included, with a total of 11,365 VDT workers. Despite a global DED prevalence of 49.5% (95% CI 47.5 to 50.6), ranging from 9.5% to 87.5%, important heterogeneity (I(2)=98.8%, p<0.0001) was observed. Variable diagnosis criteria used within studies were: questionnaires on symptoms, tear film anomalies and corneoconjunctival epithelial damage. Some studies combined criteria to define DED. Heterogeneous prevalence was associated with stratifications on symptoms (I(2)=98.7%, p<0.0001), tears (I(2)=98.5%, p<0.0001) and epithelial damage (I(2)=96.0%, p<0.0001). Stratification of studies with two criteria adjusted the prevalence to 54.0% (95% CI 52.1 to 55.9), whereas studies using three criteria resulted in a prevalence of 11.6% (95% CI 10.5 to 12.9). According to the literature, prevalence of DED was more frequent in females than in males and increased with age. CONCLUSIONS: Owing to the disparity of the diagnosis criteria studied to define DED, the global prevalence of 49.5% lacked reliability because of the important heterogeneity. We highlight the necessity of implementing common DED diagnostic criteria to allow a more reliable estimation in order to develop the appropriate preventive occupational actions.

A Dimensionally Reduced Clustering Methodology for Heterogeneous Occupational Medicine Data Mining.

Clustering is a set of techniques of the statistical learning aimed at finding structures of heterogeneous partitions grouping homogenous data called clusters. There are several fields in which clustering was successfully applied, such as medicine, biology, finance, economics, etc. In this paper, we introduce the notion of clustering in multifactorial data analysis problems. A case study is conducted for an occupational medicine problem with the purpose of analyzing patterns in a population of 813 individuals. To reduce the data set dimensionality, we base our approach on the Principal Component Analysis (PCA), which is the statistical tool most commonly used in factorial analysis. However, the problems in nature, especially in medicine, are often based on heterogeneous-type qualitative-quantitative measurements, whereas PCA only processes quantitative ones. Besides, qualitative data are originally unobservable quantitative responses that are usually binary-coded. Hence, we propose a new set of strategies allowing to simultaneously handle quantitative and qualitative data. The principle of this approach is to perform a projection of the qualitative variables on the subspaces spanned by quantitative ones. Subsequently, an optimal model is allocated to the resulting PCA-regressed subspaces.

'Do Well B.': Design Of WELL Being monitoring systems. A study protocol for the application in autism.

INTRODUCTION: Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulties in communication and social interaction resulting from atypical perceptual and cognitive information processing, leading to an accumulation of anxiety. Extreme overloading experienced internally may not be externally visible. Identifying stressful situations at an early stage may avoid socially problematic behaviour from occurring, such as self-injurious behaviour. Activation of the autonomous nervous system (ANS) is involved in the response to anxiety, which can be measured through heart rate variability and skin conductance with the use of portable devices, non-intrusively and pain-free. Thus, developing innovative analysis of signal perception and reaction is necessary, mainly for non-communicative individuals with autism. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The protocol will take place in real life (home and social environments). We aim to associate modifications of the ANS with external events that will be recorded in a synchronous manner through a specific design (spy glasses with video/audio recording). Four phases will be carried out on ASD participants and aged-matched controls: (1) 24-hour baseline pre-experiment (physical activity, sleep), (2) 2 h in a real life situation, (3) 30 min in a quiet environment, interrupted by a few seconds of stressful sound, (4) an interview to record feelings about events triggering anxiety. ASD and control participants will be together for phases 2 and 3, revealing different physiological responses to the same situations, and thus identifying potentially problematic events. The novelty will be to apply time-series analyses (which led to several Nobel Prizes in quantitative finance) on ANS series (heart rate, heart rate variability, skin conductance) and wrist motion. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval has been obtained from Ethics Committee of Clermont-Ferrand (South-East I), France (2014-A00611-46). Trial findings will be disseminated via open-access peer-reviewed publications, conferences, clinical networks, public lectures and our websites. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ClinicalTrials identifier NCT02275455.

Chest CT scan screening for lung cancer in asbestos occupational exposure: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Lung cancer is the most frequent malignant asbestos-related pathology and remains the most fatal cancer of industrialized countries. In heavy smokers, early detection of lung cancer with chest CT scan leads to a 20% mortality reduction. However, the use of CT scan screening for early detection of lung cancer in asbestos-exposed workers requires further investigation. This study aimed to determine whether CT scan screening in asbestos-exposed workers is effective in detecting asymptomatic lung cancer using a systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: We reviewed all cohort studies involving chest CT scan screening in former asbestos-exposed workers. The search strategy used the following keywords: "asbestos," "lung cancer," "screening," and "occupation*" or "work." Databases were PubMed, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, and Embase. RESULTS: Seven studies matched our inclusion criteria. Baseline screening detected 49 asymptomatic lung cancers among 5,074 asbestos-exposed workers. Of the 49 reported lung cancers, at least 18 were in the earliest stage (stage I), accessible to complete removal surgery. The prevalence of all lung cancers detected by CT scan screening in asbestos-exposed workers was 1.1% (95% CI, 0.6%-1.8%). CONCLUSIONS: CT scan screening in asbestos-exposed workers is effective in detecting asymptomatic lung cancer. Detection of lung cancer in asbestos-exposed workers using CT scanning is at least equal to the prevalence in heavy smokers (1%; 95% CI, 0.09%-1.1%) and also shared a similar proportion of stage I diagnoses. Screening asbestos-exposed workers could reduce mortality in proportions previously observed among heavy smokers and, thus, should not be neglected, particularly for individuals combining both exposures.

Comparison of the ultra-low-dose Veo algorithm with the gold standard filtered back projection for detecting pulmonary asbestos-related conditions: a clinical observational study.

OBJECTIVES: Radiation delivered during CT is a major concern, especially for individuals undergoing repeated screening. We aimed to compare a new ultra-low-dose algorithm called Veo with the gold standard filtered back projection (FBP) for detecting pulmonary asbestos-related conditions. SETTING: University Hospital CHU G. Montpied, Clermont-Ferrand, France PARTICIPANTS: Asbestos-exposed workers were recruited following referral to screening for asbestos-related conditions. Two acquisitions were performed on a 64-slice CT: the gold standard FBP followed by Veo reconstruction. OUTCOME MEASURES: Two radiologists independently assessed asbestos-related abnormalities, pulmonary nodules, radiation doses and image quality (noise). RESULTS: We included 27 asbestos-exposed workers (63.3±6.5 years with 11.9±9.7 years of asbestos exposure). We observed 297 pleural plaques in 20 participants (74%). All patients (100%) had pulmonary nodules, totalling 167 nodules. Detection rates did not differ for pleural plaques (Veo 87% vs FBP 97%, NS), pleural thickening (100% for both) and pulmonary nodules (80% for both). Interstitial abnormalities were depicted less frequently with Veo than FBP. False negative and false positive did not exceed 2.7%. Compared with FBP, Veo decreased the radiation dose up to 87% (Veo 0.23±0.07 vs FBP 1.83±0.88 mSv, p<0.001). The objective image noise also decreased with Veo as much as 23% and signal-to-noise ratio increased up to 33%. CONCLUSIONS: A low-dose CT with Veo reconstruction substantially reduced radiation. Veo compared favourably with FBP in detecting pleural plaques, pleural thickening and pulmonary nodules. These results should be confirmed on a larger sample size before the use of Veo in clinical routine practice in asbestos-related conditions, especially regarding the low prevalence of interstitial abnormalities in this study. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT01955018.

The long-term effects of occupational exposure to vinyl chloride monomer on microcirculation: a cross-sectional study 15 years after retirement.

OBJECTIVES: To assess residual long-term microcirculation abnormalities by capillaroscopy, 15 years after retiring from occupational exposure to vinyl chloride monomer (VCM). DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Allier, one of the major areas of polyvinyl chloride production in France. PARTICIPANTS: We screened 761 (97% men) retired workers exposed to chemical toxics. Exposure to chemicals other than VCM excluded potential participants. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: These participants underwent a medical examination including a capillaroscopy, symptoms of Raynaud and comorbidities, as well as a survey to determine exposure time, direct or indirect contact, type of occupation, smoking status and time after exposure. A double blind analysis of capillaroscopic images was carried out. A control group was matched in age, sex, type of occupation. RESULTS: 179/761 retired workers were only exposed to VCM at their work, with 21 meeting the inclusion criteria and included. Exposure time was 29.8±1.9 years and time after exposure was 15.9±2.4 years. Retired workers previously exposed to VCM had significantly higher capillaroscopic modifications than the 35 controls: enlarged capillaries (19% vs 0%, p<0.001), dystrophy (28.6% vs 0%, p=0.0012) and augmented length (33% vs 0%, p<0.001). Time exposure was linked (p<0.001) with enlarged capillaries (R(2)=0.63), dystrophy (R(2)=0.51) and capillary length (R(2)=0.36). They also had higher symptoms of Raynaud (19% vs 0%, p=0.007) without correlation with capillaroscopic modifications. CONCLUSIONS: Although VCM exposure was already known to affect microcirculation, our study demonstrates residual long-term abnormalities following an average of 15 years' retirement, with a time-related exposure response. Symptoms of Raynaud, although statistically associated with exposure, were not related to capillaroscopic modifications; its origin remains to be determined.

Urinary interleukin-8 is a biomarker of stress in emergency physicians, especially with advancing age--the JOBSTRESS* randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: Emergency physicians are exposed to greater stress during a 24-hour shift (24 hS) than a 14-hour night shift (14 hS), with an impact lasting several days. Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is postulated to be a chronic stress biomarker. However, no studies have tracked IL-8 over several shifts or used it for monitoring short-term residual stress. The IL-8 response to the shifts may also increase with age. Conveniently, IL-8 can be measured non-intrusively from urine. METHODS: We conducted a shifts-randomized trial comparing 17 emergency physicians' urinary IL-8 levels during a 24 hS, a 14 hS, and a control day (clerical work on return from leave). Mean levels of IL-8 were compared using a Wilcoxon matched-pairs test. Independent associations of key factors including shifts, stress, and age with IL-8 levels were further assessed in a multivariable generalized estimating equations model. RESULTS: Mean urinary IL-8 levels almost doubled during and after a 24 hS compared with a 14 hS or a control day. Furthermore, IL-8 levels failed to return to control values at the end of the third day after the shift despite a rest day following the 24 hS. In the multivariable model, engaging in a 24 hS, self-reported stress, and age were independently associated with higher IL-8 levels. A 24 hS significantly increased IL-8 levels by 1.9 ng (p = .007). Similarly, for every unit increase in self-reported stress, there was a 0.11 ng increase in IL-8 levels (p = .003); and for every one year advance in age of physicians, IL-8 levels also increased by 0.11 ng (p = .018). CONCLUSION: The 24 hS generated a prolonged response of the immune system. Urinary IL-8 was a strong biomarker of stress under intensive and prolonged demands, both acutely and over time. Because elevated IL-8 levels are associated with cardiovascular disease and negative psychological consequences, we suggest that emergency physicians limit their exposure to 24 hS, especially with advancing age.