Blood pressure in indoor and outdoor workers

INTRODUCTION

The aim of our study is to evaluate the changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure in two occupational categories: outdoor workers (traffic policemen and environment technicians) and indoor workers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study was conducted comparing the results obtained from three samples of male workers: 175 outdoor traffic policemen, 175 outdoor environment technicians and 175 indoor workers. The outdoor and indoor groups were made comparable by age, length of service, body mass index, alcohol consumption, smoking status.

RESULTS

The mean values of systolic and diastolic blood pressure were found higher in traffic policemen and technicians than in indoor workers, as well as higher values of systolic blood pressure in traffic policemen than in technicians.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that outdoor working affects the blood pressure, contributing to an increased cardiovascular risk.

Work-related stress in healthcare workers

BACKGROUND

In the assessment of work-related stress it is crucial to find the factors that generate and increase it in order to identify categories of individuals at risk, to plan interventions for prevention, elimination or reduction of risk. The aim of the study is to assess the subjective stress in 68 workers of a large Italian company dealing with human health, through the use of a questionnaire-indicating tool, elaborated by the Italian National Institute for insurance against accidents at work (INAIL) and developed by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

METHODS

We studied a final sample of 68 individuals (34 drivers/rescuers and 34 video display unit (VDU) operators). The questionnaire consists of 35 items (divided into six areas) with five possible answers each, that cover working conditions considered potential causes of stress.

RESULTS

The drivers/rescuers had a better performance than the VDU operators, especially in the areas "demand", "relationships" and "role". We compared men and women in the two groups, finding that, in VDU operators, women had a better performance than men in all areas, except "role" and "changes", in which the overall scores were the same in men and women. In the drivers/rescuers women showed more critical scores in the items "relationships" and "change".

CONCLUSION

The results show that: the questionnaire-indicating tool is useful, with a demonstrated effectiveness for the occupational physician during the visits and proven validity; additional future efforts should focus on understanding the psycho-social, organizational and individual problems related to stress and the consequent implementation of preventive measures.

Lichen sclerosus et atrophicus induced by carbamazepine: a case report

We report a case of Lichen Sclerosus in a 73-year-old man who had been treated for epilepsy with carbamazepine. Lichen sclerosus et atrophicus (LSA), also called lichen sclerosus (LS), is a chronic inflammatory cutaneous condition characterized by white plaques with epidermal atrophy and scarring. To date no cases of LSA has been linked to carbamazepine, although in a few cases lichenoid eruptions but without sclero-atrophy have been described after exposure to this drug. Therefore, to our knowledge, this is the first report of a Lichen sclerosus et atrophicus induced by carbamazepine.

Pharmacological Management of Pediatric Kerion Celsi

We report a case of severe tinea capitis, treated successfully with griseofulvin. In our opinion, the treatment of this severe dermatophytosis with griseofulvin is safe and effective. Other treatments, such as itraconazole pulsed therapy, failed, despite an initial improvement, leading to an aggressive recurrence of the lesion. We chose griseofulvin for its well-known large spectrum activity, also against uncommon species, like Microsporum Gypseum, which are responsible for the most severe cases.

Role of Steroid Therapy in Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum-like Papillary Dermal Elastolysis

Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum-like Papillary Dermal Elastolysis (PXE-PDE) is a peculiar idiopathic elastolytic disorder that clinically resembles Psudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE). It is histologically characterized by a total or partial loss of elastic fibers in the papillary dermis. It more often affects elderly women and is characterized by asymptomatic and symmetrical yellowish papules localized predominantly on the neck, supraclavicular regions, and flexural areas. After analyzing a series of cases and the recent literature suggesting that glucocorticoids may down-regulate the elastin gene expression and elastin mRNA, in cultured human skin fibroblasts, we think that high dose and prolonged steroid therapy may contribute to the appearance of PXE-PDE lesions.

Chronic urticaria and IgG paraproteinaemia: unusual spectrum of Schnitzler Syndrome

Schnitzler Syndrome (SS) is a rare clinical entity of unknown etio-pathogenesis characterizated by non itching chronic urticaria, associated with an IgM monoclonal paraprotein; other symptoms as bone pain, poliarthralgia, elevated erytrocyte sedimentation rate and persistent fever, may be present. Since 1972-1974, when it was first described by Schnitzler et al. about 80 cases have been reported in literature, all characterized by chronic urticaria and IgM monoclonal gammopathy. Nashan et al, were the first to publish a case of SS with a benign monoclonal IgG, composed by light -κ- chains. We described two cases of chronic non itching urticaria with the same symptoms above mentioned, but an IgG monoclonal paraprotein instead of IgM gammopathy. Therefore in according to Nashan et al, we suggest that the spectrum of SS should include patients that present the same clinical picture described in 1972 in association with either IgM or IgG gammopathy.

An 18-Year Follow-up of a Case of D-Penicillamine-Induced Elastosis Perforans Serpiginosa

Elastosis perforans serpiginosa (EPS) is a rare complication of chronic therapy with a high-dose of D-penicillamine (1 g daily for more than 5 years), characterized by the elimination of abnormal elastic fibers from the upper dermis through the epidermis. D-penicillamine (DPA) is a heavy metal chelator primarily used for disorders such as cystinuria and Wilson disease. This therapy can lead to induction of EPS through a still unknown mechanism. We report the follow-up of a D-penicillamine-induced EPS in patient with Wilson disease, which prompted us to switch the therapy with trientine (another metal chelator). After 14 years the cutaneous lesions are still visible; therefore, we conclude that the DPA-induced cutaneous damage is irreversible.

Disseminated Superficial Porokeratosis with Dermal Amyloid Deposits

Only 6 cases with an association of disseminated superficial porokeratosis with dermal amyloid deposits are reported in the literature. We present the case of a 76-year-old woman who presented with a disseminated superficial porokeratosis. Histological examination revealed amyloid deposits in the upper dermis, which were typed with routine HE stains, Congo red stains and anticytokeratin antibodies (AE1-AE3 and CK5). Positive staining with Congo red and, moreover, with CK5 (a cytokeratin strongly represented in the basal cell layer of the epidermis) indicates an epidermal origin of this protein.

A Case of Ketron-Goodman Disease

Pagetoid reticulosis (PR) is a rare form of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma [Mod Pathol 2000;13:502-510]. Two variants of the disease are described: the localized type Woringer-Kolopp disease (WKD) and the disseminated type Ketron-Goodman disease (KGD). KGD may have disseminated lesions, high rate of recurrence and a guarded prognosis [Mod Pathol 2000;13:502-510]. In patients with KGD, therefore, long-term observation is necessary. Disappearance of cutaneous lesions does not mean resolution of the disease [J Am Acad Dermatol 2002;47:183-186]. Herein we report the case of an 84-year-old man with erythematous patches of the trunk and the upper and lower extremities in whom the diagnosis of KGD was made. We describe this case for the rarity of this pathology and for the good response to therapy (IFN).

Wells Syndrome with Multiorgan Involvement Mimicking Hypereosinophilic Syndrome

Eosinophil-associated diseases represent a spectrum of heterogeneous disorders, where blood and cutaneous eosinophilia is the most important feature and eosinophils are the principal cause of cutaneous lesions. These diseases show some similarities in the clinical features but also many distinctive characteristics [Saurat et al., Dermatologia e malattie sessualmente trasmesse, Milano, Masson, 2000]. Wells syndrome is one of these disorders and is an uncommon recurrent inflammatory dermatosis, rarely associated to signs and symptoms of multiple organ involvement [Arch Dermatol 2006;142:1157-1161]. Hypereosinophilic syndrome, in contrast, constitutes a group of idiopathic disorders characterized by blood eosinophilia for at least 6 months, associated with single or multiple organ system dysfunction [Arch Dermatol 2006;142:1157-1161]. Clinically atypical Wells syndrome with multiorgan involvement is reported here. A correct diagnosis is difficult in this case, but clinical and histopathological features are compatible with this diagnosis. The reported condition likely represents a borderline hypereosinophilic disease, in which clinical features of both hypereosinophilic syndrome and Wells syndrome are present.

[The biological monitoring of those exposed to 1,1,1-trichloroethane: a longitudinal study]

Data on long-term biological monitoring in two groups of workers engaged in cleaning operations in a wool factory and exposed to methylchloroform are presented. The longitudinal survey lasted one year and brought about 19 random systematic sampling (once or twice a month for everyone of the 13 subjects monitored). The biological marker adopted was the urinary concentration of the solvent as such, according to a previously studied method. The collected data allowed to measure: the annual average level of exposure (estimated by the long term geometric mean); the day to day variation of the true daily exposure averages (estimated by the geometric standard deviation); the probability of overexposure (daily exposures exceeding the biological exposure limit) and the yearly number of work shifts of overexposure. The usefulness of performing long-term surveys of occupational exposure to the chemical substances by mean of longitudinal biological monitoring is discussed.

[Passive smoking: a risk factor in the home environment]

Recent studies of the health effects of air pollution have pointed out the importance of environmental smoke as a pollution source in household. Several studies showed that children or adults living with parents or other adults who smoke have an increased risk of several effects: respiratory illness in children, changes of respiratory function in children and adults, risk of lung cancer and risk of other cancer than lung cancer. A few epidemiological surveys have studied the relationship between passive smoking and lung cancer. The available epidemiological studies (10 case-control studies, and 3 prospective studies) have been identified and the results combined. There was a 35% increase of risk of lung cancer among nonsmokers living with smokers as compared with nonsmokers living with nonsmokers. However, adjustments due to some degree of misclassification of some nonsmokers who may be still exposed to other people's smoke, increased the risk, which was thus estimated as 53%. Furthermore, cancer risk deriving from cumulative household exposures to cigarette smoke was evaluated. Overall cancer risk increased progressively with the number of household members who smoked. These results were observed for both smoking-related cancer and other sites cancer. Finally, although some of these results need to be confirmed, recent views believe that sufficient evidence is provided that breathing other people's tobacco smoke cause health impairment and lung cancer.