Citation

Accattoli MP, Muzi G, dell'Omo M, Mazzoli M, Genovese V, Palumbo G, Abbritti G. G. Ital. Med. Lav. Ergon. 2008; 30(3): 297-303.

Vernacular Title

Infortuni e performances sul lavoro in lavoratori affetti da sindrome delle apnee

Affiliation

Medicina del Lavoro, Malattie Respiratorie e Tossicologia Professionali ed Ambientali, Universita degli Studi di Perugia, Italy. medlav@unipg.it

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, PI-ME Editrice)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

19069234

Abstract

Although many patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) form part of the work force, the impact of OSAS on occupational accidents and on work performance is unclear. To address this issue, we investigated 100 referents workers without OSAS (50 blue-collar and 50 white-collar) and 331 workers affected by OSAS (144 blue-collar and 187 white-collar). Workers affected by OSAS had been involved in occupational accidents more often than referents (27.2% vs. 20%). The mean number of accidents/year was slightly higher in blue-collar workers with OSAS and significantly higher (p=0.013) in white-collar workers with OSAS than referents. Furthermore, workers with OSAS referred more impairments in work performance as difficulties in memory (p=0.000), vigilance (p=0.000), concentration (p=0.000), performing monotonous tasks (p=0.000), responsiveness (p=0.000), learning new tasks (0.006) and manual ability (p=0.023), with the mean number of impairments being higher (p=0.000) in workers with a more severe OSAS (referents = 0.32; mild OSAS = 1.11; severe OSAS = 1.70). These results suggest OSAS increases the risk of occupational accidents and impaired work performance. Given the impact of OSAS on fitness for duty assessment, occupational physicians should be aware of it and could play a strategic role in its diagnosis, in monitoring treatment, and in providing appropriate information.

Language: it