Category: Statistics

Asian Spine J. 2022 Jul 4. doi: 10.31616/asj.2021.0366. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical and radiological effects of epidural fluid hematoma in the medium term after lumbar endoscopic decompression.

OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: There is limited literature comparing the effect of postoperative epidural fluid hematoma after uniportal endoscopic decompression.

METHODS: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and clinical evaluation were performed for patients with single-level uniportal endoscopic lumbar decompression with a minimum follow-up of 2 years.

RESULTS: A total of 126 patients were recruited with a minimum follow-up of 26 months. The incidence of epidural fluid hematoma was 27%. Postoperative MRI revealed a significant improvement in the postoperative dura sac area at postoperative day 1 and at the upper endplate at 6 months in the hematoma cohort (39.69±15.72 and 26.89±16.58 mm2) as compared with the nonhematoma cohort (48.92±21.36 and 35.1±20.44 mm2), respectively (p <0.05); and at the lower endplate on postoperative 1 day in the hematoma cohort (51.18±24.69 mm2) compared to the nonhematoma cohort (63.91±27.92 mm2) (p <0.05). No significant difference was observed in the dura sac area at postoperative 1 year in both cohorts. The hematoma cohort had statistically significant higher postoperative 1-week Visual Analog Scale (VAS; 3.32±0.68) pain and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI; 32.65±5.56) scores than the nonhematoma cohort (2.99±0.50 and 30.02±4.84, respectively; p <0.05). No significant difference was found at the final follow-up VAS, ODI, and MRI dura sac area.

CONCLUSIONS: Epidural fluid hematoma is a common early postoperative MRI finding in lumbar endoscopic unilateral laminotomy with bilateral decompression. Conservative management is the preferred treatment option for patients who do not have a neurological deficit. Symptoms last only a few days and are self-limiting. A common endpoint is a remodeled fluid hematoma and the subsequent expansion of the dura sac area.

PMID:35785910 | DOI:10.31616/asj.2021.0366

Zhonghua Lao Dong Wei Sheng Zhi Ye Bing Za Zhi. 2022 Jun 20;40(6):450-453. doi: 10.3760/cma.j.cn121094-20210224-00104.

ABSTRACT

Objective: To investigate the occupational damage to workers exposed to chromate in a steel plant. Methods: In January 2021, a retrospective analysis was used to select 850 workers exposed to chromate (observation group) and 598 workers not exposed to chromate (control group) in a steel plant in Shandong Province from 2016 to 2017 as the investigation. We collected their occupational-related information, blood routine, fasting blood sugar, nasal lesions, skin lesions, chest X-rays and other inspection results, compared the differences in the abnormal detection rate of the two groups of respondents, and analyzed the occupational hazards of chromium workers. Results: Incidence of nasal damage, skin lesion, up-regulation of ALT (Alanine aminotransferase), abnormal chest radiograph, abnormal serum biochemical index, and abnormal serum glucose level were observed higher in the exposed group than those in the control group (χ(2)=125.69, 12.25, 5.82, 10.37, 10.46, 20.66, P=0.000, 0.000, 0.016, 0.001, 0.001, 0.000). Among the symptoms, the incidence of erythra, nasal septum deviation, nasal mucosal congestion, nasal mucosal erosion and rhinitis were more frequent than those in the control group (χ(2)=101.54, 4.07, 13.20, 32.05, P=0.000, 0.044, 0.000, 0.000). There was no significant increase in the incidence of work type, age, length of work and the area of nasal mucosa erosion in the observation group compared with the control table, and the difference was not statistically significant (χ(2)=5.31、0.42、0.28, P=0.505, 0.662, 0.871) . Conclusion: Occupational hazards of long-term exposure to chromate cannot be ignored. Attention should be paid to strengthening occupational protection and health education of workers exposed to chromium, and increasing their attention.

PMID:35785902 | DOI:10.3760/cma.j.cn121094-20210224-00104

Zhonghua Lao Dong Wei Sheng Zhi Ye Bing Za Zhi. 2022 Jun 20;40(6):430-434. doi: 10.3760/cma.j.cn121094-20210119-00037.

ABSTRACT

Objective: To investigate the effect of endoscopic operation volume on musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) of shoulder, neck and elbow. Methods: From December 2019 to March 2020, random sampling was used to select 200 gastroenterologists from hospitals at or above the municipal level in Sichuan Province as the research object. Gastroenterologists were divided into 108 eadoscop in the low operation group (The operation volume is less than 5 000 cases) and 92 eadoscop in the high operation group (The operation volume is more than 5 000 cases) according to the operation volume. MSDS was investigated by UCLA shoulder scoring system, Tanaka Jingjiu cervical spondylosis scale and improved An and Morrey elbow scoring system, and the chi-square test was used to compare the basic conditions of different body parts in the two groups. The basic condition of each part of the two groups was tested and compared. Results: Compared with the low operation group, the age and working years of the high operation group were longer, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). The most painful part between the two groups was the shoulder, accounting for 25.9% (28/108) and 37.0% (34/92), respectively. Occasional shoulder pain was the most (41.9%, 26/62) and normal function was the most (32.3%, 20/62) ; The forward flexion angle exceeds 150° at most (40.3%, 25/62). Slight pain often occurred in the neck, accounting for 57.7% (15/26), the occasional impact of pain on the upper limbs accounted for 61.5% (16/26), and the impact on the fingers accounted for 53.8% (14/26) ; 65.0% (15/26) had mild disturbance to the sense of signs; Normal tendon reflex accounted for 88.5% (23/26) ; The influence of opponents was weakness, discomfort and no dysfunction, accounting for 53.8% (14/26) ; Endoscopists with normal muscle strength (2 points) and mild decline accounted for 50.0% (13/26) respectively, and there was no significant difference among the groups (P=0.234、1.000、1.000、0.050、0.680、0.539、0.431、0.239). The elbow score scale showed that mild loss accounted for 55.0% (11/20), mild instability accounted for 65% (13/20), and mild pain accounted for 55.0% (11/20) . Conclusion: MSDs is a health problem faced by endoscopists, and targeted preventive measures should be taken for its possible causes.

PMID:35785896 | DOI:10.3760/cma.j.cn121094-20210119-00037

Zhonghua Lao Dong Wei Sheng Zhi Ye Bing Za Zhi. 2022 Jun 20;40(6):434-438. doi: 10.3760/cma.j.cn121094-20210615-00286.

ABSTRACT

Objective: To investigate the current situation of occupational exposure to noise among noise workers in an automobile manufacturing enterprise in Tianjin, understand the impact of noise on workers＇ nervous system and hearing, and assess the risk of hearing loss among noise workers. Methods: In May 2021, 3516 workers in an automobile manufacturing enterprise were investigated by using a self-made questionnaire＂Noise Workers Questionnaire＂ and cluster sampling method. The occupational noise hygiene survey and occupational hazards detection were carried out in their workplaces. They were divided into noise exposure group and non-noise exposure group according to whether they were exposed to noise or not. The general characteristics, hearing and nervous system symptoms of the two groups of workers were compared, and the risk of hearing loss was assessed. Results: There were 758 workers in the noise exposure group, aged (26±5) years old, with a working age of 3.0 (2.0, 6.0) years exposed to noise. 2758 workers in the non-noise exposure group, aged (25±6) years old, with a working age of 2.0 (1.0, 4.0) years. There were statistically significant differences in the distribution of workers＇education level, working age and memory loss between the two groups (χ(2)=37.98, 38.70, 5.20, P<0.05). The workers in the noise exposure group showed a decreasing trend of insomnia, dreaminess, sweating and fatigue with the increase of working age (χ(2trend)=6.16, 7.99, P<0.05). The risk classification of binaural high-frequency hearing loss for workers in all noise positions until the age of 50 and 60 was negligible, the risk of occupational noise deafness was low for workers in stamping and welding noise positions until the age of 60. Conclusion: The occupational noise exposed to automobile manufacturing workers may cause certain harm to their nervous and auditory systems. Noise protection measures should be taken to reduce the risk of hearing loss and occupational noise deafness.

PMID:35785897 | DOI:10.3760/cma.j.cn121094-20210615-00286

Zhonghua Lao Dong Wei Sheng Zhi Ye Bing Za Zhi. 2022 Jun 20;40(6):426-430. doi: 10.3760/cma.j.cn121094-20210420-00224.

ABSTRACT

Objective: The epidemiological characteristics and trend of occupational pneumoconiosis in Hubei Province from 2011 to 2020 were analyzed to provide a theoretical basis for the development of prevention and control strategies for occupational pneumoconiosis. Methods: In March 2021, the data of newly occupational pneumoconiosis in Hubei Province from 2011 to 2020 were collected by the Occupational Diseases and Health Risk Factors Information Surveillance System. Descriptive statistics were adopted to analyze basic situation, region, industry, type of disease, year of diagnosis, age of onset and dust exposureduration of the cases. Results: From 2011 to 2020, a total of 7203 new cases of occupational pneumoconiosis were reported in Hubei Province, including 7125 (98.92%) men and 78 (1.08%) women. The average age of onset was (54.03±10.12) years old. The average duration of dust exposure was (13.80±9.56) years. The mainly types of pneumoconiosis were coal worker’s pneumoconiosis (3593 cases, 49.88%) and silicosis (3301 cases, 45.83%). The cases included 4814 cases (66.83%) of stage Ⅰ pneumoconiosis, 1270 cases (17.63%) of stage Ⅱ and 1119 cases (15.54%) of stage Ⅲ. New cases mainly distributed in Yichang City (1586 cases, 22.02%), Shiyan City (1257 cases, 17.45%), Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture (1050 cases, 14.58%) and Huangshi City (1009 cases, 14.01%), and occurred most frequently in coal mining and washing industry (3743 cases, 51.96%) and nonmetallic mining industry (582 cases, 8.08%). Pneumoconiosis patients of stage Ⅲ were mainly distributed in small enterprises (401 cases, 50.25%) and domestic enterprises (796 cases, 99.75%) . Conclusion: Coal worker’s pneumoconiosis and silicosis accounted for the vast majority pneumoconiosis in Hubei Province. The new cases show obvious regions, industries and type of disease distribution. We should strengthen occupational health supervision in small and domestic enterprises.

PMID:35785895 | DOI:10.3760/cma.j.cn121094-20210420-00224

Zhonghua Lao Dong Wei Sheng Zhi Ye Bing Za Zhi. 2022 Jun 20;40(6):423-426. doi: 10.3760/cma.j.cn121094-20210629-00313.

ABSTRACT

Objective: To compare the ophthalmic examination indices of different occupational groups in Shenzhen and analyze the possible health problems, so as to provide research basis for further health intervention. Methods: In March 2021, 5426 professionals with ophthalmic examination index data were selected from the basic health database of “Shenzhen occupational population protection action”. Among them, radiation workers (694), port operators (1756), sanitation workers (946), teachers (224), video workers (154), police (927) and firefighters (100) were selected as the investigated occupational population. They were exposed to noise 625 workers with traditional occupational hazards such as noise, chemical poisons and dust were used as the control population.Ophthalmic examination indices included right eye vision, left eye vision, outer eye, conjunctiva, cornea, lens, and fundus oculi. The differences of each index in different occupational groups were compared. Results: Compared with the control group, the port operator group showed lower abnormal rates of binocular vision and fundus oculi (P<0.05), but higher abnormal rates of conjunctiva (P=0.029), the environmental sanitation worker group showed higher abnormal rates of binocular vision and conjunctiva (all P<0.01), the teacher group had higher abnormal rates of binocular vision, but only the difference of left eye vision was statistically significant (P=0.021), and the video worker group had higher abnormal rates of right and left eyes vision (P=0.029、0.006) . Conclusion: There were some degrees of ophthalmic problems in different occupational population, therefore targeted intervention measures should be taken according to the characteristics of each group.

PMID:35785894 | DOI:10.3760/cma.j.cn121094-20210629-00313

Zhonghua Lao Dong Wei Sheng Zhi Ye Bing Za Zhi. 2022 Jun 20;40(6):406-411. doi: 10.3760/cma.j.cn121094-20211104-00539.

ABSTRACT

Objective: To investigate the predictive value of the product of first plasmacolchicine concentration and poisoning time for the prognosis of colchicine poisoning patients, and to provide a basis for early prognosis assessment. Methods: October 2021, patients with colchicine poisoning admitted in the First Affiliated Hospitol of Wenzhou Medical University from January 2017 to September 2021 were collected, including general information such as patient gender, age, oral colchicine dose, poisoning time, the first laboratory test index andplasma colchicine concentration after admission. The patients were divided into survival group and death group according to their prognosis. The differences in clinical indicators such as admission plasma colchicine concentration, blood routine, blood biochemistry, coagulation function, and blood gas analysis were compared between the two groups, and their predictive value for the prognosis of patients were analyzed. Results: A total of 23 patients with colchicine poisoning, aged 20-85 years, were included in this study, of which 15 cases (65.22%) survived and 8 cases (34.78%) died. The first plasma colchicine concentration at admision were 0.42-53.61 ng/ml. The plasma colchicine concentration and the concentration-time product were 10.08-2147.04 h·ng/ml.Compared with the survival group, the plasma colchicine concentration and the concentration-time product in the death group were significantly increased, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that first plasma concentration and poisoning time>132.48 h·ng/ml, high C-reactive protein, high D-dimer, high absolute value of BE were the risk factors for the prognosis of patients with colchicine poisoning (OR=12.000, 95%CI: 1.1181-128.836; OR=1.053, 95%CI: 1.009-1.098; OR=1.219, 95%CI: 1.039-1.429; OR=1.360, 95%CI: 1.1.044-1.773; P<0.05). High prothrombin time activity was protective factor affecting the prognosis of colchicine poisoning patients (OR=0.941, 95%CI: 0.892~0.993; P<0.05). ROC curve analysis showed that the areas under the curves of first plasma concentration and poisoning time, C-reactive protein, absolute value of BE, D-dimer for predicting the prognosis of patients with colchicine poisoning were 0.918, 0.888, 0.867, 0.837, respectively, and the areas under the curves of prothrombin time activityfor predicting the prognosis of patients with colchicine poisoning was 0.788 (P<0.05) . Conclusion: The product of the first plasma colchicine concentration at admission and poisoning time is closely related to the prognosis of patients with colchicine poisoning, it can be used as a predictor for early evaluation of the prognosis of poisoned patients.

PMID:35785891 | DOI:10.3760/cma.j.cn121094-20211104-00539

Zhonghua Lao Dong Wei Sheng Zhi Ye Bing Za Zhi. 2022 Jun 20;40(6):401-405. doi: 10.3760/cma.j.cn121094-20210329-00175.

ABSTRACT

Objective: To analyze the normative references in occupational disease diagnostic criteria and explore the relevant characteristics of occupational disease diagnostic criteria in China, aiming to provide the basis for improving the system of occupational disease diagnostic criteria. Methods: From January to March 2021, the text and normative references of occupational disease diagnostic criteria were retrieved, and the database was established with Excel 2013, and the data were analyzed with SPSS 22.0 software and Ucinet 6.0 software. The distributions of normative references were statistically analyzed by frequency analysis. The network density and centrality of occupational disease diagnostic criteria were analyzed by social network analysis. The network topology of relevant relationship network of occupational disease diagnostic criteria was drawn. Results: Among 115 occupational disease diagnostic criteria, 105 criteria cited 146 normative references, a total of 431 times. The normative documents cited more frequently were GB/T 16180 (91 times), GBZ 76 (37 times) and GBZ 73 (23 times). The number of normative references in GBZ 188 and GBZ/T 238 was large, 87 and 13 respectively. The results of social network analysis showed that the network density was 0.0281. The relative degree centrality was 3.089, and the top three criteria were GB/T 16180 (55.152), GBZ 188 (53.333) and GBZ 76 (23.636). The closeness centrality was 7.773 and the top three criteria were GB/T 16180 (8.735), GBZ 188 (8.730) and GBZ 76 (8.333). The betweenness centrality was 0.824 and the top three criteria were GBZ 188 (38.836), GB/T 16180 (38.301) and GBZ/T 238 (10.407). And GB/T 16180, GBZ 188, GBZ 76, GBZ 73 and GBZ 59 were at the core of the network topology of relationship network of occupational disease diagnostic criteria. Conclusion: The network density of occupational disease diagnostic criteria in China is low, and the relevant relationship is not close. GB/T 16180, GBZ 188, and GBZ 76 are node standards and should be the focus of the next standard implementation tracking.

PMID:35785890 | DOI:10.3760/cma.j.cn121094-20210329-00175

Tuberk Toraks. 2022 Jun;70(2):149-156. doi: 10.5578/tt.20229805.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Pneumococcal infections and exacerbations are important causes of mortality and morbidity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The use of inhaled corticosteroids and pneumococcal vaccination are suggested for the control of the disease progression and exacerbations. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine on pneumonia and exacerbation in COPD patients using inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs). The secondary aim is to analyze the effect of ICS use and different ICS types, if administered, on exacerbation and pneumonia incidence in the study population.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical records of 108 adult patients with COPD who were vaccinated with the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) were retrospectively evaluated. The number of acute exacerbations and pneumonia within one year before and after vaccination were evaluated in all included COPD patients. The comparison analysis was also performed based on the ICS types.

RESULT: There were statistically significant differences between the mean numbers of pneumonia and exacerbations before and after vaccination (p<0.05). There were no significant differences in the mean pneumonia attacks and acute exacerbations between patients using ICS and not using ICS (p> 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that PCV13 provides a significant decrease in both exacerbation and pneumonia episodes in COPD patients. On the other hand, the use of ICSs and the types of ICSs were not found to have adverse effects on pneumonia and acute exacerbations in vaccinated COPD patients.

PMID:35785879 | DOI:10.5578/tt.20229805

Tuberk Toraks. 2022 Jun;70(2):179-186. doi: 10.5578/tt.20229808.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Although the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients have been described; the pathogenesis of the disease and its long-term consequences are still unclear. Pulmonary fibrosis is one of these late outcomes. In this study we evaluated Interleukin-17 (IL-17), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) levels of COVID-19 infected patients with different clinical course and their effect on pulmonary fibrosis in post-COVID period.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total, 90 patients were evaluated. Among the patients who presented for a control visit between 3-12 weeks after acute infection; patients with signs of pulmonary sequelae radiologically (traction bronchiectasis, interseptal thickening, disorders in parenchyma architecture) were classified as Group I (n= 32), patients who recovered without sequelae radiologically as Group II (n= 32). The Control group included healthy individuals who did not have COVID-19, and was classified as Group III (n= 26).

RESULT: The mean age in Group I was significantly higher than Group II and III (p<0.001). There was a statistically significant difference between the VEGF and IL-17 values based on the patient group they are in (p<0.05). Vascular endothelial growth factor values of Group I and III were significantly lower than the patients in Group II (p<0.001). IL-17 values of Group I and II were found to be significantly lower than Group III (p= 0.005). There was no statistically significant relationship between groups in terms of IgG4 values.

CONCLUSIONS: In our study, it was observed that the profibrotic effects of VEGF, IL-17, and IgG4 were not dominant in patients who recovered with pulmonary sequelae after COVID; therefore, it is thought that different mechanisms mentioned or not yet revealed may cause this outcome.

PMID:35785882 | DOI:10.5578/tt.20229808