Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors Predict the Development and Numbers of Common Musculoskeletal Disorders in a...

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Epidemiology
• Cardiovascular Medicine

Background:

• Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a significant cause of morbidity in the workforce.
• Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors are increasingly recognized for their systemic effects.
• The relationship between CVD risk and MSD development requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the association between cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk scores and the incidence of common musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).
• To determine if elevated CVD risk predicts the development of specific MSDs.
• To assess the compounded risk of MSDs in individuals with pre-existing CVD risk factors.

Main Methods:

• A 9-year prospective cohort study involving 1224 workers across three states.
• Data collection included questionnaires, interviews, physical examinations, anthropometric measurements, nerve conduction studies, and job physical factor assessments.
• Framingham risk scores were calculated, and standardized case definitions for MSDs were applied.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant increase in the risk of developing one or more MSDs was observed with higher CVD risk scores (RR 3.90).
• Individuals with 10-year CVD risk scores exceeding 15% demonstrated a substantially elevated risk for MSDs.
• The risk for developing multiple MSDs was considerably higher (RR 17.4), indicating a strong dose-response relationship.

Conclusions:

• Cardiovascular disease risk factors are strongly linked to the subsequent development of common musculoskeletal disorders.
• The presence of multiple MSDs significantly amplifies the associated risks.
• These findings suggest a potential shared pathophysiology or systemic inflammatory processes underlying both CVD and MSDs.