[Feature of osteoarthrosis among steel plant workers under various working conditions]

Clinical manifestations of osteoarthrosis were studied with reference to gender of the workers engaged at metallurgic plant and their working conditions. The examinees were divided into three groups: workers doing hard mechanical labor and exposed to chemical and physical factors (group 1); workers doing the above labor and exposed to physical factors only (group 2); intellectuals (group 3). In group 1 women, nodular polyosteoarthrosis (x-ray stage II) was encountered significantly more frequently than in men of this group and males and females from groups 2 and 3. Oligoarthrosis without nodules (x-ray stage I) occurred more frequently in men. In group 2 nodular polyosteoarthrosis occurred more frequently in women. Oligoarthrosis without nodules stage I both in males and females was more frequent than in group 1. Polyosteoarthrosis in females and oligoarthrosis in males was more incident in group 2 than in group 3. In group 3 males and females diagnosis of monoarthrosis without nodules (x-ray stage I) was made significantly more frequently than in groups 1 and 2.