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Updated: Dec 13, 2025
Measurement of the Hand Transmitted Vibration of the Human Hand Arm System During Operation of a Hand Tractor
Published on: June 16, 2021
Serum Metabolites in Hand-Arm Vibration Exposed Workers
Per Vihlborg1, Pål Graff, Annika Hagenbjörk
1Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University (Dr Vihlborg, Ms Bryngelsson); National Institute of Occupational Health, Oslo, Norway (Dr Graff); Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Section of Sustainable Health, Umeå University (Dr Hagenbjörk, Dr Hadrévi, Dr Eriksson); Odensbackens Health Center, Örebro (Dr Vihlborg), Sweden.
Objective:
To investigate whether low molecular organic biomarkers could be identified in blood samples from vibration exposed workers using a metabolomics.
Methods:
The study population consisted of 38 metalworkers. All participants underwent a standardized medical examination. Blood samples were collected before and after work shift and analyzed with gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Multivariate modeling (orthogonal partial least-squares analysis with discriminant analysis [OPLS-DA]) were used to verify differences in metabolic profiles.
Results:
Twenty-two study participants reported vascular symptoms judged as vibration-related. The metabolic profile from participants with vibration-induced white fingers (VWF) was distinctly separated from participants without VWF, both before and after vibration exposure.
Conclusion:
Metabolites that differed between the groups were identified both before and after exposure. Some of these metabolites might be indicators of health effects from exposure to vibrations. This is the first time that a metabolomic approach has been used in workers exposed to vibrations.
