Work-related chronic venous disease in office and bakery workers

Abstract

A prospective study was undertaken in order to establish the prevalence and risk factors of chronic venous disease (CVD) in two occupational groups: office employees working in a prolonged sitting or standing position, and people working in bakeries, in a hot microclimate. It included 160 individuals over 40 years old, 97 women and 63 men. A survey assessing subjects' work place ergonomics, Doppler sonography – currently the diagnostic tool of choice in the assessment of sufficiency of venous valves, and an observational study were performed. Doppler signs of CVD in persons working in sitting or standing positions and in hot microclimate were found in 59.4%, 83.4% and in 76.4%, respectively. Most often diagnosed were perforating veins and vena saphena magna incompetence. Occurrence of CVD was significantly higher in people working in a standing position than in those working in a sitting position (p-value =0.0145). Occurrence of CVD among office workers working in sitting or static standing conditions and among people working in a hot microclimate were comparable (p-values =0.1152 and 0.7116, respectively). Conclusions: Occupational CVD is a frequent condition among office workers and people working in a hot microclimate. Static standing position at work constitutes a significantly greater risk for CVD development than prolonged sitting or work in a hot microclimate and thus should be a subject for specific prophylaxis interventions.