[Auditory-vestibular changes in workers in ferrous metallurgy manufacture]

The deleterious factors of the working environment in metallurgy--physical and chemical, with a direct or indirect effect on the analyzer systems of organism could lead to some disturbances of their functions and restriction of the capacity for work of the workers. Seventy workers from coke-chemical production and 98 workers from ferro alloy production have been examined with a view to determination of the auditory and vestibular status among them. The exposure to manganese aerosols has been determined among the workers from ferro alloy production. The indices studied with various degree of exposure have been juxtaposed. Essential changes have been established in the auditory and vestibular analyzer of the workers from both productions. The vestibular disorders have a phase character. The central disorders in the otoneurological state of the workers from coke-chemical production predominate whereas the peripheral ones--among the workers from ferro alloy production. The presence of pronounced changes in the hearing and vestibular indices in the workers with the lowest degree of exposure, provided grounds to propose them as criteria for the early diagnostics of the chronic manganese intoxication.