Occupational Medicine Advance Access originally published online on May 22, 2006
Occupational Medicine 2006 56(5):338-344; doi:10.1093/occmed/kql024
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Vibration exposure and myocardial infarction incidence: the VHEEP casecontrol study
1 Occupational Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, SE-901 85, Sweden
2 Department of Work and Physical Environment, National Institute for Working Life, PO Box 7654, Umeå, SE-907 13, Sweden
3 Occupational Medicine, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, S-907 13, Sweden
4 R&D department, Jämtland County Council, PO Box 602, Frösön, S-832 44, Sweden
Objectives The main objectives of this study were to assess the risk of contracting first episode of myocardial infarction (MI) subsequent to vibration exposure and to assess a possible exposureresponse relationship.
Methods The Västernorrland heart epidemiology programme (VHEEP, a part of the Stockholm heart epidemiology programme study) was the source of the data. VHEEP is a population-based casecontrol study of risk factors for acute MI. Exposure information was collected by questionnaire and vibration exposure was assessed in 218 cases and 257 controls. Relative risks were estimated using odds ratios (ORs) from binary logistic regression.
Results The results show that the OR of acute MI when exposed to vibration was 1.6 (95% CI: 1.12.4). It was not possible, however, to determine whether an exposureresponse relationship was present.
Conclusions Working entailing vibrating machines is associated with an increased risk for acute MI.
Keywords Casecontrol; myocardial infarction; occupational; risk factor; vibration
Correspondence to: Bodil Björ, Umea University, Umea SE-901 85, Sweden. e-mail: Bodil.bjor{at}envmed.umu.se