title: Noise and cardiovascular effects in workers of the sanitary fixtures industry.
abstract: The aim of the present study is to evaluate whether workers in the sanitary fixtures industry are a category at risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, and in particular, whether chronic noise exposure may play a role in cardiovascular effects in exposed workers. Seventy-five employees engaged in sanitation fixtures production and a control group of sixty-four office workers, who were not exposed to agents that could damage the cardiovascular system, participated in our study. The selected workers completed a clinical-anamnestic questionnaire, and underwent a medical examination, blood pressure test, electrocardiogram (ECG), blood tests, and audiometry. Measurements of environmental noise, dust, and lead were also carried out. The exposed workers, in comparison to the control group, showed a higher frequency of hypertension, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (p<0.05, p<0.05), as well as electrocardiographic abnormalities (p<0.05). There was also a higher frequency of hypertension and electrocardiographic abnormalities among subjects with audiometric deficit compared to normoacoustic subjects (p<0.05 and p<0.05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  from our study suggest that work activity in the sanitary fixtures industry can have an influence on the cardiovascular system, and noise can be the main cause of damage for the cardiovascular system in exposed workers, as cardiovascular damage seems to be linked to hearing loss.
authors.affiliation: University of Rome "Sapienza", Department of Anatomy, Histology, Medical-Legal and the Orthopedics, Unit of Occupational Medicine (Dir: Prof. F. Tomei), Viale Regina Elena 336, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Capozzella
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Assunta
authors.affiliation: University of Rome "Sapienza", Department of Anatomy, Histology, Medical-Legal and the Orthopedics, Unit of Occupational Medicine (Dir: Prof. F. Tomei), Viale Regina Elena 336, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Samperi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ilaria
authors.affiliation: University of Rome "Sapienza", Department of Anatomy, Histology, Medical-Legal and the Orthopedics, Unit of Occupational Medicine (Dir: Prof. F. Tomei), Viale Regina Elena 336, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: De Sio
authors.initials: de S
authors.lastname: Simone
authors.affiliation: University of Rome "Sapienza", Department of Psychiatric and Psychological Science, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Tomei
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gianfranco
authors.affiliation: University of Rome "Sapienza", Department of Anatomy, Histology, Medical-Legal and the Orthopedics, Unit of Occupational Medicine (Dir: Prof. F. Tomei), Viale Regina Elena 336, 00161 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: info@spinoff-sipro.it.
authors.forename: Casale
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Teodorico
authors.affiliation: University of Rome "Sapienza", Department of Anatomy, Histology, Medical-Legal and the Orthopedics, Unit of Occupational Medicine (Dir: Prof. F. Tomei), Viale Regina Elena 336, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Sacco
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carmina
authors.affiliation: University of Rome "Sapienza", Department of Anatomy, Histology, Medical-Legal and the Orthopedics, Unit of Occupational Medicine (Dir: Prof. F. Tomei), Viale Regina Elena 336, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Suppi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Anastasia
authors.affiliation: University of Rome "Sapienza", Department of Anatomy, Histology, Medical-Legal and the Orthopedics, Unit of Occupational Medicine (Dir: Prof. F. Tomei), Viale Regina Elena 336, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giubilati
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Roberto
authors.affiliation: University of Rome "Sapienza", Department of Anatomy, Histology, Medical-Legal and the Orthopedics, Unit of Occupational Medicine (Dir: Prof. F. Tomei), Viale Regina Elena 336, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Tomei
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Francesco
authors.affiliation: University of Rome "Sapienza", Department of Anatomy, Histology, Medical-Legal and the Orthopedics, Unit of Occupational Medicine (Dir: Prof. F. Tomei), Viale Regina Elena 336, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosati Maria
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Valeria
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D066192:Manufacturing Industry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009623:Noise, Occupational; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Cardiovascular disease; Hypertension; Lead; Noise; Sanitary fixtures industry