Shape change and obesity prevalence among male UK offshore workers after 30 years: New insight from a 3D scanning study.

Objectives: In 1984, male UK offshore workers had greater overweight and obesity prevalence and fat content than the general population. Since then, body weight has increased by 19%, but, without accompanying anthropometric measures, their size increase, current obesity, and fatness prevalence remain unknown. This study therefore aimed to acquire contemporary anthropometric data, profile changes since the original survey, and assess current obesity prevalence in the male offshore workforce.

Defying geometric similarity: Shape centralization in male UK offshore workers.

Objectives: Applying geometric similarity predictions of body dimensions to specific occupational groups has the potential to reveal useful ergonomic and health implications. This study assessed a representative sample of the male UK offshore workforce, and examined how body dimensions from sites typifying musculoskeletal development or fat accumulation, differed from predicted values.

Methods: A cross sectional sample was obtained across seven weight categories using quota sampling, to match the wider workforce.

Variability in body size and shape of UK offshore workers: A cluster analysis approach.

Male UK offshore workers have enlarged dimensions compared with UK norms and knowledge of specific sizes and shapes typifying their physiques will assist a range of functions related to health and ergonomics. A representative sample of the UK offshore workforce (n = 588) underwent 3D photonic scanning, from which 19 extracted dimensional measures were used in k-means cluster analysis to characterise physique groups. Of the 11 resulting clusters four somatotype groups were expressed: one cluster was muscular and lean, four had greater muscularity than adiposity, three had equal adiposity and muscularity and three had greater adiposity than muscularity.

Survival suit volume reduction associated with immersion: implications for buoyancy estimation in offshore workers of different size.

Rationale: It is currently unknown how body size affects buoyancy in submerged helicopter escape.

Method: Eight healthy males aged 39.6 ± 12.

The ability of UK offshore workers of different body size and shape to egress through a restricted window space.

404 male offshore workers aged 41.4 ± 10.7 y underwent 3D body scanning and an egress task simulating the smallest helicopter window emergency exit size.

Body size and ability to pass through a restricted space: Observations from 3D scanning of 210 male UK offshore workers.

Offshore workers are subjected to a unique physical and cultural environment which has the ability to affect their size and shape. Because they are heavier than the UK adult population we hypothesized they would have larger torso dimensions which would adversely affect their ability to pass one another in a restricted space. A sample of 210 male offshore workers was selected across the full weight range, and measured using 3D body scanning for shape.

The effect of time on CPR and automated external defibrillator skills in the Public Access Defibrillation Trial.

Background: The time to skill deterioration between primary training/retraining and further retraining in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillation (AED) for lay-persons is unclear. The Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) trial was a multi-center randomized controlled trial evaluating survival after CPR-only versus CPR+AED delivered by onsite non-medical volunteer responders in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Aims: This sub-study evaluated the relationship of time between primary training/retraining and further retraining on volunteer performance during pretest AED and CPR skill evaluation.

How well are cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator skills retained over time? Results from the Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) Trial.

Background: The current standard for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) retraining for laypersons is a four-hour course every two years. Others have documented substantial skill deterioration during this time period.

Objectives: To evaluate 1) the retention of core CPR and AED skills among volunteer laypersons and 2) the time required to retrain laypersons to proficiency as a function of time since initial training.

A comparison of the AVID and DAVID trials of implantable defibrillators.

We compared 2 studies of implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICDs) to determine the effects of device mode on outcomes. The Antiarrhythmics Versus Implantable Defibrillators (AVID) trial (1993 to 1997) demonstrated improved survival with the ICD compared with antiarrhythmic drug therapy. The Dual-chamber And VVI Implantable Defibrillator (DAVID) trial (2000 to 2002) showed that VVI pacing at 40 beats/min in patients with ICDs reduced the combined end point of death and hospitalization for congestive heart failure compared with DDDR pacing at 70 beats/min.

Lower observed versus expected (based on U.S. age and gender specific rates) survival in patients treated for near-fatal ventricular arrhythmias.

Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) have improved survival for patients with ventricular fibrillation (VF) or sustained vertricular tachycardia (VT). However, the survival of these patients compared to the general population has not been assessed. Observed survival rates for patients randomized to either antiarrhythmic drug therapy (mainly amiodarone) arm or ICD arm were compared to expected rates, calculated using age and sex-specific survival rates derived from the 1989-1991 US population life tables and applied to the age and sex distribution of patients in each arm.

Analysis of implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapy in the Antiarrhythmics Versus Implantable Defibrillators (AVID) Trial.

Introduction: The implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) is commonly used to treat patients with documented sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) or ventricular fibrillation (VF). Arrhythmia recurrence rates in these patients are high, but which patients will receive a therapy and the forms of arrhythmia recurrence (VT or VF) are poorly understood.

Methods And Results: The therapy delivered by the ICD was examined in 449 patients randomized to ICD therapy in the Antiarrhythmics Versus Implantable Defibrillators (AVID) Trial.

Comparison of arrhythmia recurrence in patients presenting with ventricular fibrillation versus ventricular tachycardia in the Antiarrhythmics Versus Implantable Defibrillators (AVID) trial.

Because many episodes of ventricular fibrillation (VF) are believed to be triggered by ventricular tachycardia (VT), patients who present with VT or VF are usually grouped together in discussions of natural history and treatment. However, there are significant differences in the clinical profiles of these 2 patient groups, and some studies have suggested differences in their response to therapy. We examined arrhythmias occurring spontaneously in 449 patients assigned to implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy in the Antiarrhythmics Versus Implantable Defibrillators (AVID) trial to determine whether patients who receive an ICD after VT have arrhythmias during follow-up that are different from patients who present with VF.