The Clinical Challenge of Identifying Postural Changes Associated with Musculoskeletal Disorders in a Population of Adolescents: The Evaluation of a Diagnostic Approach.

: Inappropriate posture, overweight, and physical inactivity are common causes of pathologies on muscles, ligaments, joints, and bone structures, which could negatively impact the quality of present and future life. The challenge of this work was to develop a diagnostic approach to identify the causes of musculoskeletal disorders in an adolescent population in order to implement preventive procedures. : A total of 147 subjects aged between 14 and 18 years who were affected by musculoskeletal disorders and who accessed the Clinical Posturology unit of the IRCCS San Gerardo hospital, Monza, Italy, from 2015 to 2023, were enrolled.

The Evaluation of the Balance Test and MuscleLab Test for the Early Detection of Femoroacetabular Impingement.

Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is a common source of hip pain affecting a wide range of subjects. In this work, we assessed two tests, namely the balance test and the MuscleLab test, in comparison with the flexion-abduction-external rotation (FABER) and flexion-adduction-internal rotation (FADIR) tests, in order to evaluate the functionality of the neural-musculoskeletal system of the subjects affected by FAI based on the measurement of biomechanical parameters. Our goal was to investigate the early detection of an altered hip joint and to monitor pathology progression over time.

Durability of Humoral Responses after the Second Dose of mRNA BNT162b2 Vaccine in Residents of a Long Term Care Facility.

Residents of long-term care facilities (LTCFs) have been dramatically hit by the COVID-19 pandemic on a global scale as older age and comorbidities pose an increased risk of severe disease and death. The aim of the study was to assess the quantity and durability of specific antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 after the first cycle (two doses) of BNT162b2 vaccine. To achieve this, SARS-CoV-2 Spike-specific IgG (S-IgG) titers was evaluated in 432 residents of the largest Italian LTCF at months 2 and 6 after vaccination.

Sero-survey on long-term care facility residents reveals increased risk of sub-optimal antibody response to BNT162b2: implications for breakthrough prevention.

Background: The impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on residents of long-term care facilities (LTCFs) has been dramatic on global scale as older age and comorbidities pose an increased risk of severe disease and death.

Methods: Aim of this study was to evaluate SARS-CoV-2 Spike-specific IgG (S-IgG) antibody titers in 478 residents and 649 health care workers of a large Italian long-term care facility two months after complete vaccination with BNT162b2. Associations among resident-related factors and predictors of humoral response were investigated.

Occupational Exposure in the Lombardy Region (Italy) to SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Results from the MUSTANG-OCCUPATION-COVID-19 Study.

Sero-epidemiological surveys are valuable attempts to estimate the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 in general or selected populations. Within this context, a prospective observational study was conducted to estimate the prevalence and persistence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in different categories of workers and factors associated with positivity, through the detection of virus-specific immunoglobulin G and M (IgG/IgM) in serum samples. Enrollees were divided in low exposure and medium-high groups on the basis of their work activity.

Magnitude and time-course of excess mortality during COVID-19 outbreak: population-based empirical evidence from highly impacted provinces in northern Italy.

Background: The real impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on overall mortality remains uncertain as surveillance reports have attributed a limited number of deaths to novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during the outbreak. The aim of this study was to assess the excess mortality during the COVID-19 outbreak in highly impacted areas of northern Italy.

Methods: We analysed data on deaths that occurred in the first 4 months of 2020 provided by the health protection agencies (HPAs) of Bergamo and Brescia (Lombardy), building a time-series of daily number of deaths and predicting the daily standardised mortality ratio (SMR) and cumulative number of excess deaths through a Poisson generalised additive model of the observed counts in 2020, using 2019 data as a reference.

[Occupational health nurse's role in health surveillance and workers' education: national and international state].

Objectives: Occupational Health Nurses have gradually changed their role. To provide a national and international overview concerning the Occupational Health Nurse's role and to evaluate which are the regulatory/professional elements currently in force in Italy that may permit to better structure and develop Occupational Health Nurse's technical/scientific knowledges.

Methods: Literature and regulatory texts review in Italy and abroad; on sight research in some public and private Occupational Health services.

[Occupational diseases caused by artificial optical radiation (AOR)].

Background: Italian national legislation guarantees safety and health for workers exposed to artificial optical radiations (AOR) by Legislative Decree 81/2008.

Objectives And Methods: Effects and damages to health resulting from AOR exposure were analyzed from literature data.

Results: Ultraviolet radiations (UV), particularly those in the wavelength range between 220 and 310 nm, causes chronic conjunctivitis and kerato-conjunctivitis.

[Urinary evaluations of drug consumption among workers having high risk of accident: technical difficulties, limits and possibilities of increasing efficacy of the law].

Urinary evaluations of drug consumption among workers having high risk of accident became compulsory in Italian legislation few years ago. We report results of 322.110 single urinary drug detections carried out between 2008 and 2011 on 35.

[Work-related stress risk assessment in a home care agency].

The workload, the quality of professional relationships and emotional involvement have a significant impact on distress and burnout in health care-workers; this impact has an hight variability among the different environments and different care facilities (hospital, erderly nursing homes, home care). The risk assessment of work-related stress performed in 2010 in a homecare agency highlighted organizational problems related to the content/context of work and risk factors for health and safety. High turn-over is evidenced as critical among the "sentinel events".

[Medical surveillance of Italian Red Cross Volunteers: actual limits of law, technical and scientific problems. The experience of Red Cross Provincial Committee of Monza and Brianza].

Our research describes a medical surveillance, not included in usual Occupational Health activities, carried out in last year among Red Cross Volunteers active in Monza e Brianza Provincial Committee. This medical surveillance has been managed according to internal rules of Red Cross and national specific Laws. We report data concerning medical examination of 1285 volunteers, their consequences on their voluntary activities, problems arisen during and after medical controls.

[Medical surveillance in university: organizational difficulties, legal problems, scientific e technical specificities. Experience of University of Milan Bicocca].

Our research describes activities of Occupational Health carried out during last year in University of Milan Bicocca by Occupational Doctors. We describe results of medical surveillance in 1153 employees or students exposed to occupational risks for health and safety. We report results obtained, technical difficulties, organizational problems, and preventive actions decided to improve functionality of our activity.

[Use of computerized stabylometric footboard in evaluation of work suitability at height work in building firms].

A relevant part of deadly work accidents and of severe work accidents reported in national specific statistics coming from INAIL is until today caused by workers' falls during their at height work activities. Medical evaluation of eventual workers' hyper susceptibility to fall caused by balance alterations, if included in medical surveillance, is frequently carried out by medical doctors using different subjective tests included in different clinical protocols. Use of a computerized stabylometric footboard on the contrary allows to obtain objective and reproducible data concerning vestibular function which, associated with traditional clinical medical evaluation, seem to better detect eventual presence of balance disturbances, especially those non clinically perceivable by workers and therefore more dangerous.

[A survey on dental offices: risk assessment and practicable preventive and protective measures].

The survey was aimed at developing a method and providing valuable tools to be used for risk assessment in dental practices and for the implementation of preventive and protective measures. For these purposes general (inspection card for the definition of risk level for health and safety) and specific tools (check-lists) were used. In each dental office chemical and physical hazards (noise and hand-arm vibration) were assessed.

[Hepatitis B vaccination coverage and booster dose: results from a survey on healthcare students].

This study assessed the immunisation status against hepatitis B in healthcare students and residents, before their hospital internship, as suggested by the "National Immunization Prevention Plan 2012-2014". The concentration of antibodies against hepatitis B was measured in 2,491 subjects (70.90% women), born between 1980 and 1993 and visited between January 1st 2000 and July 15th 2012.

[Use of barrier creams in occupational health: utility, limits and actual diffusion in clinical practice].

Use of barrier creams among workers exposed to chemical risk has changed during last years and actually seems not to be very largely widespread even if there are not many up to date data about it. We report a research carried out evaluating effective presence in pharmacological market of barrier creams, their chemical characteristics, their composition, their prize. We analyzed the prescription of barrier creams made by 45 Occupational Doctors active in 2730 firms, their knowledge of chemical and pharmacological aspects which can make the difference among creams.

[Evaluation of residual osteomuscular function using computerised movement analysis for building sector workers: specificity and technical problem].

Occupational Health Doctors active in building sector firms frequently have to evaluate residual workers' osteomuscular function in patients coming back to work after an accident happened during work time or free time. Definition of their specific individual work suitability is usually carried out utilizing semeiotic tests in which subjective evaluation of every single Medical Doctor is real important in definition of final results and this fact can cause legal controversies. In our research we describe the application of computerised movement analysis on 10 workers of building sector.

The contribution of Enrico C. Vigliani (1907-1992) to the international development of occupational medicine and industrial hygiene.

Background: One of the last century's greatest personalities in Occupational Medicine was Enrico Carlo Vigliani (1907-1992), director of the "Clinica del Lavoro" in Milan (1942-1977), editor-in-chief of "La Medicina del Lavoro" (1942-1991), Secretary-Treasurer and then President of the "Permanent Commission and International Association on Occupational Health" (1957-1981), the original nucleus of the ICOH.

Objectives: The 20th anniversary of his death provides us with the opportunity to discuss the role of this brilliant scholar in the international development of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene.

Methods: A comprehensive analysis of Vigliani's scientific works was conducted.

Lead poisoning: historical aspects of a paradigmatic "occupational and environmental disease".

Lead poisoning is one of the earliest identified and most known occupational disease. Its acute effects have been recognized from antiquity when this condition principally afflicted manual workers and slaves, actually scarcely considered by the medicine of that time. The Industrial Revolution caused an epidemic of metal intoxication, urging scientists and physician of that period to study and identify specific symptoms and organ alterations related to chronic lead poisoning.

[Sentinel events for work-related stress in hospital and their monitoring in the decade 2001-2010].

This survey was aimed at showing the relationship between some working organizational indicators--work-related stress "sentinel events" such as sick leaves and work accident--and some sociodemographic (gender, age) and organizational (homogeneous tasks, departmental areas) parameters. In the decade 2001-2010 a progressive decrease of the absenteeism and work accident rates was evidenced. The absenteeism rate was inversely related to job-qualification and it was higher among female workers.

[The movement computerized analysis as instrumental support for occupational doctors in evaluation of upper limb pathologies in engineering workers].

The movement computerized analysis of upper limb is a valid support in the definition of residual functional capability and of specific work suitability in complex cases. This methodology of evaluation is able to correctly and objectively define the tridimensional ranges of motion of every patient's upper limb. This fact can be particularly useful for workers coming back to work after a work-related or a not work-related accident of for handicapped workers at the beginning of a new work activity.

[Well-being in call centres: a multidisciplinary approach to research and evaluation].

Background: The topics of stress and well-being in call centres are the focus of many different disciplines. This article presents the definition and start-up phases of the "Well-being in Telecom Italia Call Centres" project, which was coordinated and supervised by an interdisciplinary scientific committee composed of members from different universities. To address the topic of individual well-being in the organizational context means considering all the main factors that can affect wellbeing.

[An integrated prevention intervention for the management of SSUEm118 operator with hearing loss].

Noise risk is moderate in hospital but there are some areas, as SSUEm118, where the background noise is not negligible. In this context it is important not to underestimate hearing loss even minimal, because the noise interference can cause errors of understanding, as the case in exam: an operator 118. The clinical assessment of this worker with liminar tonal audiometry and vocal audiometry revealed a mild unilateral mixed hearing loss with good voice response.

[The evaluation of work related stress in occupational health: diagnostic experience and therapeutic prospects].

The clinical cases of psychosocial disturbances that the Occupational Doctors find in their daily activity frequently are characterized by difficult differential diagnosis. These cases frequently must be faced with limitations of the work ability not easy to define and with unclear prognosis too. A useful help in the evaluation of these cases can be offered by the Clinical Units for the evaluation of work related stress, for the specialized joined support of Psychologist and of Occupational Doctors these Units can assure.