Prevalence of Cholelithiasis among Patients with Occupational Pulmonary Pathology and Patients with Vibrational Disease

Objective: Cholelithiasis is one of the topical issues of the modern medical science. The aim of the study was to discover the prevalence of cholelithiasis among patients with occupational COPD and vibrational disease.

Methods: We monitored 1331 patients with chronic occupational pathology. 410 of them were engaged in mechanical engineering and were affected by occupational COPD, 327 patients with vibrational disease from the same type of manufacturing, and 594 metal workers and clinchers with vibrational disease but engaged in aircraft industry. This study followed the ethical criteria recommended by the Resolution N 248 of 14.08.1998 of Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation.

Results: The highest incidence rate of cholelithiasis development was registered among patients with pulmonary pathology (23.6% of women and 14.4% of men). The least incidence rate was registered among patients occupied in foundry engineering (4.5% of women, 0.5% of men).

Conclusions: The possible cause of incidence rate of cholelithiasis development reduction among patients with vibrational disease is the absence of hypoxaemia and systemic inflammation. The second essential aspect is that the vibrational influence on bile prevents aggregation of bile components into calculi.