[The prevalence of and risk factors for osteoarthrosis in workers in tire manufacture]

The data of epidemiological studies of rheumatic diseases, carried out at the Yaroslavl tire factory among 2508 workers are provided. Overall 845 subjects afflicted with different rheumatic diseases were identified. The prevalence of osteoarthrosis of the peripheral joints was 12.68 +/- 0.66%. The main industrial risk factors of osteoarthrosis were distinguished: occupational hazard (physical overloads), work record in the main specialty over 5 years, functional and static-dynamic loads of the bones and joints, elevated temperature and air humidity in industrial premises. As to the other factors, age, defects of the skeleton, hereditary load, foci of chronic infection, primary education, female sex, and the character of feeding turned out significant for the development of osteoarthrosis. The authors have worked out the tables of risk for osteoarthrosis of the peripheral joints, the use of which allows predicting the morbidity of every worker and distinguishing risk groups with a purpose of carrying out early treatment and prophylactic measures.