Evaluation of high blood pressure and obesity among US coal miners participating in the Enhanced Coal Workers' Health Surveillance Program

Coal mining environment causes adverse effects on workers

Background

The objective of this study is to study the adverse effects of coal mining environment on workers to discover early effective biomarkers.

Methods

The molecular epidemiological study was conducted with 502 in-service workers, who were divided into miner and auxiliary. We measured the individual levels of dust exposure for participants. Clinical examinations were conducted by qualified doctors. Peripheral blood was collected to measure biochemistry, hemogram, and karyocyte apoptosis.

Results

All workers were healthy who have not found with any diseases that can be diagnosed medically in the physical examination and showed no difference in dust exposure level, age, height, weight, and body mass index between groups. The working years of miners were lower than that of auxiliaries (p < 0.001). Compared with auxiliaries, the concentration and percentage of lymphocytes (p = 0.040, p = 0.012), basophils (p = 0.027, p = 0.034), and red blood cells (p < 0.001) and the concentration of hemoglobin of miners were lower (p < 0.001). The percentage of neutrophils (p = 0.003), the concentration of mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (p = 0.002), and the proportion of karyocyte apoptosis in miners were higher (p < 0.001). Miners presented higher blood urea nitrogen (p < 0.001), ratio of blood urea nitrogen to creatinine (p < 0.001), the high density lipoprotein cholesterol (p < 0.001), lower creatinine (p < 0.05), and cholesterol (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The coal mining environment impacted mining workers' immune function, renal function, and the hematopoietic system, including BUN/CRE, HGB, RBC, and LYMPH, which could be used as early biomarkers to screen the health of coal miners.

Evaluation of vertical and multi-axial suspension seats for reducing vertical-dominant and multi-axial whole body vibration and associated neck and low back joint torque and muscle activity

The primary aim of this laboratory-based human subject study was to evaluate the biomechanical loading associated with mining vehicles' multi-axial whole body vibration (WBV) by comparing joint torque and muscle activity in the neck and low back during three vibration conditions: mining vehicles' multi-axial, on-road vehicles' vertical-dominant, and no vibration. Moreover, the secondary aim was to determine the efficacy of a vertical passive air suspension and a prototype multi-axial active suspension seat in reducing WBV exposures and associated biomechanical loading measures. The peak joint torque and muscle activity in the neck and low back were higher when exposed to multi-axial vibration compared to the vertical-dominant or no vibration condition. When comparing the two suspension seats, there were limited differences in WBV, joint torque, and muscle activity. These results indicate that there is a need to develop more effective engineering controls to lower exposures to multi-axial WBV and related biomechanical loading. Practitioner Summary: This study found that mining vehicles' multi-axial WBV can increase biomechanical loading in the neck and back more so than on-road vehicles' vertical-dominant WBV. While a newly-developed multi-axial active suspension seat slightly reduced the overall WBV exposures, the results indicate that more effective engineering controls should be developed. Abbreviation: APDF: amplitude probability density function; Aw: weighted average vibration; BMI: body mass index; C7: The 7th cervical vertebra; EMG: electromyography; ES: erector spinae; IRB: institutional review board; ISO: International Organization for Standardization; L5/S1: the fifth lumbar vertebra (L5)/the first sacral vertebra(S1); MSDs: musculoskeletal disorders; MVC: maximum voluntary contraction; PSD: power spectral density; RVC: reference voluntary contraction; SCM: sternocleidomastoid; SD: standard deviation; SPL: splenius capitis; TRAP: trapezius; VDV: vibration dose value; WBV: whole body vibration.

High-fat Western diet consumption exacerbates silica-induced pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis

Consumption of a high-fat Western diet (HFWD) contributes to obesity, disrupted adipose endocrine function, and development of metabolic dysfunction (MetDys). Impaired lung function, pulmonary hypertension, and asthma are all associated with MetDys. Over 35% of adults in the U.S. have MetDys, yet interactions between MetDys and hazardous occupational inhalation exposures are largely unknown. Occupational silica-inhalation leads to chronic lung inflammation, progressive fibrosis, and significant respiratory morbidity and mortality. In this study, we aim to determine the potential of HFWD-consumption to alter silica-induced inflammatory responses in the lung. Six-wk old male F344 rats fed a high fat Western diet (HFWD; 45 kcal % fat, sucrose 22.2% by weight) to induce MetDys, or standard rat chow (STD, controls) for 16 wk were subsequently exposed to silica (6 h/d, 5 d/wk, 39 d; Min-U-Sil 5®, 15 mg/m³) or filtered air; animals remained on their assigned diet for the study duration. Indices of lung inflammation and histopathologic assessment of lung tissue were quantified at 0, 4, and 8 wk after cessation of exposure. Combined HFWD+silica exposure increased bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) total cells, leukocytes, and BAL lactate dehydrogenase compared to STD+silica exposure controls at all timepoints. HFWD+silica exposure increased BAL proinflammatory cytokines at 4 and 8 wk compared to STD+silica exposure. At 8 wk, histopathological analysis confirmed that alveolitis, epithelial cell hypertrophy and hyperplasia, lipoproteinosis, fibrosis, bronchoalveolar lymphoid hyperplasia and granulomas were exacerbated in the HFWD+silica-exposed group compared to STD+silica-exposed controls. Our results suggest an increased susceptibility to silica-induced lung disease caused by HFWD consumption.

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HFWD exacerbates silica (SIL)-induced lung injury at 8 wk post-exposure.

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HFWD+SIL increases BAL cells and LDH compared to STD+SIL.

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HFWD+SIL increases BAL proinflammatory cytokines compared to STD+SIL.

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Histopathology confirms exacerbated lung injury HFWD+silica treatment.

Mental health in mine workers: a literature review

The mining environment is hazardous for worker's health. It can affect the mental health, triggering symptoms and diseases, such as anxiety, job stress, depression, sleep disorders, mental fatigue and other. The aim of this study was to describe and analyze the scientific literature about the mental health in mine workers and to summarize the findings. The method used was scoping review. The principal outcomes were the following: evidence in the last 12 years in the topic was focused in four themes 1) Psychological problems & personal factors (38.2%); 2) Psychosocial problems & health related factor (23.6%); 3) Well-being (21.1%) and 4) Physical problems & organization factors (17.1%). Several affections, symptoms, characteristics or disorders were inquired about mine worker's mental health, such as job strain, unsafety experiences, poor quality of sleep, non-subjective well-being, job unsatisfaction, social-relations conflict, risk of accidents and injuries, musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), substance abuse, dangerous working conditions and demanding job organization, and so on. For those factors, Mining could expose to serious mental health problems to a part of their workers. It's necessary to deepen the elaboration of international policies and carry out more scientific research and suggestions to make programs on the topic.

Relative Telomere Length in Peripheral Blood Cells and Hypertension Risk among Mine Workers: A Case-Control Study in Chinese Coal Miners

Hypertension is a common chronic disease in middle-aged and elderly people and is an important risk factor for many cardiovascular diseases. Its pathogenesis remains unclear. Epidemiological studies have found that the loss of telomere length in peripheral blood cells can increase the risk of coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, and other diseases. However, a correlation between loss of telomere length and hypertension has not been established. In this study, we aimed to explore the association between telomere length and the risk of essential hypertension (EH) in Chinese coal miners. A case-control study was performed with 215 EH patients and 222 healthy controls in a large coal mining group located in North China. Face-to-face interviews were conducted by trained staff with the necessary medical knowledge. Relative telomere length (RTL) was measured by a quantitative real-time PCR assay using DNA extracted from peripheral blood. In the control group, the age-adjusted RTL was statistically significantly lower in miners performing hard physical labour compared with nonphysical labour (P = 0.043). A significantly shorter age-adjusted RTL was found in the control group of participants who consumed alcohol regularly compared with those who do not consume alcohol (P = 0.024). Age-adjusted RTL was negatively correlated with body mass index (BMI) and alcohol consumption. Hypertension was also found to be significantly correlated with factors such as age, BMI, alcohol consumption, smoking, and tea consumption. Our results suggest that RTL is associated with hypertension in coal miners.

Causes of death among Federal Black Lung Benefits Program beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare, 1999-2016

BACKGROUND

Coal miners with totally disabling pneumoconiosis are eligible for benefits through the Federal Black Lung Benefits Program (FBLP). We identify the causes of death among Medicare beneficiaries with a claim for which the FBLP was the primary payer and compare these causes of death to all deceased Medicare beneficiaries to better understand elevated death and disease among miners with occupational respiratory exposures.

METHODS

From 1999 to 2016 Medicare data, we extracted beneficiary and National Death Index data for 28,003 beneficiaries with an FBLP primary payer claim. We summarized the International Classification of Diseases, Clinical Modification 10th revision-coded underlying causes of death and entity-axis multiple causes of death for 22,242 deceased Medicare beneficiaries with an FBLP primary payer Medicare claim and compared their causes of death to the deceased Medicare beneficiary population.

RESULTS

Among deceased FBLP beneficiaries, the three leading underlying causes of death were chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, unspecified (J44.9, 10.1%), atherosclerotic heart disease (I25.1, 9.3%), and coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) (J60, 9.2%). All diseases of the respiratory system combined (J00-J99) were the underlying cause of death for 29.1% of all beneficiaries, with pneumoconioses (J60-J64) as the underlying cause for 11.0% of all beneficiaries.

CONCLUSIONS

Coal miners enrolled in Medicare with an FBLP primary payer claim were more likely to have specific respiratory and cardiovascular diseases listed as a cause of death than deceased Medicare beneficiaries overall, and were also more likely to die from CWP or any pneumoconioses.

Associations of occupational stress with job burn-out, depression and hypertension in coal miners of Xinjiang, China: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

Strategies and measures for fighting occupational stress in China are inadequate. This study aimed to determine the level of occupational stress in coal miners and to assess the associations between occupational stress and job burn-out, depression and hypertension. The results could provide clues for preventive measures and strategies to improve the psychological well-being of this population.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Xinjiang Coal Administration Bureau.

PARTICIPANTS

Four coal mines were selected randomly (computer-generated random number-based selection process) from the 21 coal mines of Xinjiang, and all miners with >1 year of employment were screened for participation.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

A general demographic questionnaire, the Self-rating Depression Scale, the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) model and the Maslach Burn-out Inventory.

RESULTS

A total of 1400 questionnaires were collected, including 1334 (95.3%) valid questionnaires. This survey indicated that 1107 (83.0%) participants with an ERI score >1 (high occupational stress) and 227 (12.8%) had ERI ≤1. Severe depression was found in 21.7% of the participants. Job burn-out was positively correlated with occupational stress, which was, in turn, associated with depression. Multivariable linear regression analysis showed that depression (β=0.006, p=0.012), sex (β=0.358, p<0.001) and occupational stress (β=0.702, p<0.001) were independently associated with job burn-out. Working years (β=-0.086, p=0.015) and job burn-out (β=0.022, p<0.001) were directly associated with depression.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights that occupational stress may affect job burn-out, depression symptoms and hypertension. A higher degree of occupational stress was associated with poorer mental status and hypertension.

Effects of occupational exposure to dust on chest radiograph, pulmonary function, blood pressure and electrocardiogram among coal miners in an eastern province, China

Background

Coal dust is one of the most serious risk factor that leads to respiratory diseases and cardiovascular diseases in miners. This study aimed to observe the effects of occupational dust exposure on chest radiograph, pulmonary function (PF), blood pressure (BP) and electrocardiogram (ECG) indexes in coal miners and explore the related risk factors.

Methods

In the Chinese Occupational Disease Monitoring and Occupational Health Risk Assessment Program, a total of 11,061 subjects in 2015 and 12,597 subjects in 2016 were recruited in this study. The chest radiograph, PF, BP and ECG of coal miners were surveyed using radiograph machine, spirometer, sphygmomanometer and electrocardiograph, respectively.

Results

The prevalence of aberrant BP was the highest in coal miners, followed by abnormal ECG, PF and radiograph. Significant differences in abnormal BP, ECG, PF and radiograph of coal miners were closely associated with age, years of dust exposure, smoking, drinking, working types and size of mines. A total of 80 persons diagnosed with coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP) in 2015–2016, which occupied 0.34% of the coal miners.

Conclusion

Abnormal BP, ECG, PF and radiograph of coal miners are highlighted health problems in China and require serious attention. Feasible health promotion and protective facilities should be adopted to guarantee coal miners’ health.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12889-019-7568-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Focusing on the premature death of redeployed miners in China: an analysis of cause-of-death information from non-communicable diseases

Background

Reducing premature deaths is an important step towards achieving the World Health Organization’s sustainable development goal. Redeployed miners are more prone to disease or premature death due to the special occupational characteristics. Our aims were to describe the deaths of redeployed miners, assess the losses due to premature death and identify their main health problems. All the records of individuals were obtained from Fuxin Mining Area Social Security Administration Center. Year of life lost (YLL) and average year of life lost were used to assess the loss due to premature death. YLL rates per 1000 individuals were considered to compare deaths from different populations.

Results

Circulatory system diseases contributed the most years of life lost in the causes of death, followed by neoplasms. But average year of life lost in neoplasms was 6.85, higher than circulatory system diseases, 5.63. Cerebrovascular disease and ischemic heart disease were the main causes of death in circulatory system diseases. And average years of life lost in cerebrovascular disease and ischemic heart disease were 5.85 and 5.62, higher than those in other circulatory system diseases. Lung cancer was the principal cause of death in neoplasms. Average year of life lost in liver cancer was 7.92, the highest in neoplasms.

Conclusions

For redeployed miners, YLL rates per 1000 individuals in cerebrovascular disease, ischemic heart disease and lung cancer were higher than those in other populations, especially in men. It is important to attach importance to the health of redeployed miners, take appropriate measures to reduce premature death and achieve the sustainable development goal. Our findings also contribute to a certain theoretical reference for other countries that face or will face the same problem.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12992-019-0450-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.