Risk of jugular compression blocks in workers exposed to prolonged upright posture.
The working posture affects the peripheral venous circulation, although the current literature does not report any correlation between working posture and the abnormalities of the jugular veins flow. The purpose of this preliminary research is to study, in female workers, the prevalence of Venous Compressive Syndrome (VCS) caused by total block of the internal jugular veins flow, so-called "White Compression". Due to complete compression by postural, muscular, fascial, anatomical or bone anomalies, White Compression is not visible by EchoColorDoppler (ECD) and its flow can only be detected by the rotational movements of the head or by Valsalva's maneuver.



We studied a sample of female workers with ECD (n=128), in supine and upright position divided into subgroups according to the obliged posture maintained during working hours: group A, seated work (n = 61; 47.7%); group B, standing work (n = 41; 32.0%); group C, mixed (both standing and seated work) (n = 26; 20.3%). The total sample (n = 128) had the mean age of 46 ± 10 years (minimum 18 and maximum 67 years) and mean Body Mass Index (BMI) of 23 ± 4 kg/m2 (min 16 kg/m2 and a maximum of 42 kg/m2).



Group A and group C did not show any White Compression in orthostatic and clinostatic position. The 9.75% (p = 0.0125) of Group B had a White Compression in orthostatic position: two female workers on the left side (4.9%) and two female workers on the right side (4.9%).



We conclude that there is a risk of jugular compression blocks in female workers exposed to prolonged upright posture. Yet there is no longitudinal study that identifies the White Compressions as etiology of a chronic neurodegenerative disease. The authors hope that some wider studies can confirm the prevalence of these compressions in standing posture and their patho-physiological consequences.
Research Unit of Occupational Medicine Sapienza, University of Rome, Italy.
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De Sio
Department of Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
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Mandolesi
Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
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Niglio
Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, G. d'Annunzio University, Chieti-Pescara, Italy.
Aldo
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D'Alessandro
University Medical School of Foggia, Italy.
Alessandro
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D'Alessandro
Department of Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences, Ecocardiology Research Unit, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
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Vitarelli
Research Unit of Occupational Medicine Sapienza, University of Rome, Italy.
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Ricci
D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D017097:Electric Impedance; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007601:Jugular Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011187:Posture; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013577:Syndrome; D014689:Venous Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D014931:Women, Working / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
Occupational medicine; Prolonged upright posture; Venous compression syndrome