Risk factors for coronary heart disease in miners with anthracosilicosis

Abstract

Introduction. There are data on the effects of dust on the respiratory system and the cardiovascular system. The main measures for preventing diseases of the circulatory system aimed to identify and eliminate risk factors. However, the prevalence of risk factors for coronary heart disease among coal mine workers with anthracosilicosis has not been sufficiently studied, determining the study's relevance. The study aimed to learn the frequency of risk factors for coronary heart disease in coal industry workers with anthracosilicosis. Materials and methods. We examined 269 miners working in conditions of dustiness exceeding the maximum permissible concentration by ten or more times: 139 miners with a previously established diagnosis of anthracosilicosis and 130 miners of the control group without dust pathology of the lungs. All of them underwent a comprehensive clinical, instrumental, and laboratory examination of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems to detect anthracosilicosis and coronary heart disease, as well as to assess its risk factors. Results. In miners with anthracosilicosis, coronary heart disease was 3.5 times more common (30.94%) than in the control group (8.46%). We have identified a high incidence of coronary heart disease in the age group of 45 and more years and with the experience of working in dust conditions of 20 and more years. In miners with anthracosilicosis combined with coronary heart disease, arterial hypertension was 1.6 times more common (58.14%) than without concomitant coronary heart disease - 35.42%. Miners with a combination of anthracosilicosis and coronary heart disease were three times more likely (20.93%) than those without coronary heart disease (6.25%) to have a metabolic syndrome. According to the Tanner index, significant risk factors for coronary heart disease were the presence of an andromorphic constitutional-morphological type and the formation of a complication of anthracosilicosis - respiratory failure. The evaluation of biochemical blood tests showed that the most significant markers of coronary heart disease risk were hyperhomocysteinemia, increased levels of C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, and soluble fibrin-monomer complexes. Conclusions. We found that the most significant risk of developing coronary heart disease in miners is 45 years and older. There are also other risk factors: work experience in harmful working conditions of 20 years or more; the presence of arterial hypertension; metabolic syndrome; andromorphic constitutional-morphological type according to the Tanner index. Risk factors are respiratory failure, hyperhomocysteinemia, hyperfibrinogenemia, increased soluble fibrin-monomer complexes, and C - reactive protein. It is necessary to consider all risks in developing programs of medical and preventive measures for employees of the coal industry.