The role of abdominal obesity in the development of cardiopulmonary disorders in aluminum industry workers

Introduction. Cardiopulmonary disorders should be considered as a complex process, in the pathogenesis of which excess body weight can play an important role. Without timely prevention, the processes of inflammation and hypoxia, characteristic of abdominal obesity, can accelerate the development of cardiopulmonary insufficiency. This is especially relevant for workers in metallurgical industries with harmful working conditions. Materials and methods. The study included one hundred thirteen long-term labour experience workers of the main occupations of aluminum production and 66 workers of the paramilitary mine rescue brigade. The average age of metallurgists was 47.81±0.43 years, mine rescuers – 46.91± 0.53 years, p=0.213. All the subjects underwent a study of the external respiration function and echocardiography according to standard methods. Results. In persons with abdominal obesity the average values of the vital lung capacity were significantly lower: 83.59±2.19% vs. 91.16±1.31% (p=0.0021) among metallurgists and 86.43±2.67% vs. 94.63±1.43% (p=0.0041) among the workers of the paramilitary mine rescue brigade, a similar pattern was revealed in terms of the forced exhalation volume for the first second – 77.1±2.41 vs. 88.24±1.38% (p=0.00003) and 85.6±3.13% vs. 93.34±1.31% (p=0.0094), respectively. The studied average values of the indices of diastolic function of the right ventricle were typical for the development of its dysfunction in metallurgists, and also indicated the absence of the influence of abdominal obesity on them in all examined subjects. Limitations. The study was limited by the number of the examined persons undergoing periodic medical examination at the Research Institute for Complex Problems of Hygiene and Occupational Diseases. Conclusion. Lower respiratory indices were recorded in persons with abdominal obesity, while obstructive ventilation disorders were detected only in aluminum production workers. Abdominal obesity was not associated with the indices of diastolic function of the right ventricle. The tendency to the formation of diastolic dysfunction of the right ventricle had been noted in the workers of the main occupations of aluminum production.