Transient hand paresthesias in Champagne vineyard workers.
BACKGROUND
The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of hand paresthesias (HP) and their relationship with pruning activities.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 537 workers pruning grapevines in the region of Champagne. All workers completed a questionnaire about nocturnal HP and musculoskeletal pain during the preceding 12-month period.


RESULTS
The 12-month prevalence of nocturnal HP and hand-wrist pain were 37 and 12%, respectively. HP, predominantly affecting the dominant hand, only began during the pruning period and ended after the pruning season in 90% of cases. HP were transient in most cases, with a mean duration of symptoms of 3.3 +/- 3.2 months. Risk factors associated with HP were: female gender (OR = 2.3 [1.3-3.0]), being overweight (OR = 1.6 [1.1-2.5]), payment on a piecework basis (OR = 2.0 [1.2-2.3]) and traditional blade sharpening method (OR = 1.7 [1.1-2.7]). HP were less frequent in employees who used electric pruning shears (OR = 0.5 [0.2-1.6], P = 0.09).


CONCLUSIONS
The development of HP, which affected a third of employees, was different from HP observed in industrial workers since most vineyard workers recovered without medical treatment after the pruning season.
Roquelaure
Y
Y
Consultation de pathologie professionnelle et d'ergonomie (Occupational Health and Ergonomics Center, University Hospital), CHU, F-49033 Angers, Cedex, France. yvroquelaure@chu-angers.fr
Gabignon
Y
Y
Gillant
J C
JC
Delalieux
P
P
Ferrari
C
C
Méa
M
M
Fanello
S
S
Penneau-Fontbonne
D
D
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006230:Hand Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010146:Pain / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology; D010292:Paresthesia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011336:Probability; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014920:Wine