Serum Metabolites in Hand-Arm Vibration Exposed Workers.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether low molecular organic biomarkers could be identified in blood samples from vibration exposed workers using a metabolomics. METHODS: The study population consisted of 38 metalworkers. All participants underwent a standardized medical examination. Blood samples were collected before and after work shift and analyzed with gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Multivariate modeling (orthogonal partial least-squares analysis with discriminant analysis [OPLS-DA]) were used to verify differences in metabolic profiles. RESULTS: Twenty-two study participants reported vascular symptoms judged as vibration-related. The metabolic profile from participants with vibration-induced white fingers (VWF) was distinctly separated from participants without VWF, both before and after vibration exposure. CONCLUSION: Metabolites that differed between the groups were identified both before and after exposure. Some of these metabolites might be indicators of health effects from exposure to vibrations. This is the first time that a metabolomic approach has been used in workers exposed to vibrations.

Analysis of long-term stored plasma samples for investigation into the pathophysiology of vibration-induced white finger: preliminary results.

Blood samples were collected 25 yr ago from hand-arm vibration syndrome patients with vibration-induced white finge/VWF (VWF+ group) and without it (VWF- group), and healthy controls (n=12 in each group), and stored at -80 °C. The subjects provided venous blood twice: at baseline, and after cold exposure at 7 °C for 25 min. Blood specimens were analyzed for plasma endothelin-1 (ET-1) by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Baseline concentration of plasma ET-1 was found to be significantly larger in the VWF- group than the control group, whereas no such difference was observed for the VWF+ group. However, the %change was larger in the VWF+ group (107.73 ± 30.49%) than the other two groups, and more subjects in the VWF+ group showed the maximum increase in ET-1 than the other two groups. In conclusion, ET-1 appears to have a role in the pathophysiology of VWF.

[The role of neurotrophic factors in formation of vibration disease].

The authors studied serum levels of neurotrophic factors (brain-derived neurotrophic factor BDNF and ciliary neurotrophic factor CNTF) in workers exposed to vibration (workers with long length of service and without health disorders caused by vibration, patients with occupational limbs polyneuropathy, and vibration disease patients). Findings are that occupational vibration induces increased BDNF and CNTF serum levels in all groups examined. Increased levels of neurotrophic factors at early stages of pathologic process indicate their protective action, action of compensatory protective mechanisms. However, high levels of BDNF and CNTF in vibration disease may point to neurodestructive processes in nervous system.

[Features of systemic hemostasis in arterial hypertension with vibration disease in accordance with vibration type].

Study covered systemic hemostasis in 69 males aged 47.6 +/- 2.1 years with 1 stage arterial hypertension and 1 stage vibration disease, exposed to various types of occupational vibration at work. Those exposed to bump vibration demonstrated an increase in platelets aggregation with all aggregation inductors, if compared to reference values, increased generaton and activity of von Willebrand factor, moderately depressed fibrinolysis system with increased serum content of fibrin and fibrinogen degradation products and decreased anticoagulation factors activity. Those exposed to rotation vibration demonstrated less changes.

[Free-radical processes in cardiomyopathy and concomitant vibration disease].

Progression from local vibration to cardiovascular pathology in patients with vibration disease is associated with remodeling cardiac and vascular tissues under effect of oxidative stress. Myocardium and nodular tissue are most vulnerable during development of occupational cardiopathy. Alteration of the heart rhythm wave structure is a predictor of remodeling.

A pilot study of gene expression analysis in workers with hand-arm vibration syndrome.

The purpose of this pilot study was to examine differences in gene expressions by cDNA microarray analysis of hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) patients. Vein blood samples were collected and total RNA was extracted. All blood samples were obtained in the morning in one visit after a standard light breakfast. We performed microarray analysis with the labeled cDNA prepared by reverse transcription from RNA samples, using the Human CHIP version 1 (DNA Chip Research Inc, Yokohama, Japan). There are 2,976 genes on the chip, and these genes were selected from a cDNA library prepared with human peripheral white blood cells (WBC). Different gene levels between the HAVS patients and controls, and between groups of HAVS with different levels of symptoms, were indicated by the randomized variance model. The most up-regulated genes were analyzed for their possible functions and association with the occurrence of HAVS. From the results of this pilot study, although the results were obtained a limited number of subjects, it would appear that cDNA microarray analysis of HAVS patients has potential as a new objective method of HAVS diagnosis. Further research is needed to examine the gene expression with increased numbers of patients at different stages of HAVS.

[Some aspects of patients' immune response at different degree of intensity of vibration disease].

We studied some biochemical, hormonal, immunologic indices and cytokine status in patients with vibrating disease with different degree of intensity of pathological process and in healthy workers dealing with local vibration. The Analysis of changes in cytokine system was carried out with differentiation of significance of studied indices.