Occupational Exposure to Whole-Body Vibration and Parkinson's Disease: Results From a Population-based Case-Control Study

Mechanical stress producing head injury is associated with Parkinson's disease, suggesting that relations with other physical hazards such as whole-body vibration (WBV) should be tested. In this study, the authors evaluated the relation between occupational exposure to WBV and Parkinson's...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of epidemiology 2012-08, Vol.176 (4), p.299-307
Main Authors: ANNE HARRIS, M, MARION, Stephen A, SPINELLI, John J, TSUI, Joseph K. C, TESCHKE, Kay
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Age
Aged
Biological and medical sciences
British Columbia
Case-Control Studies
Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases
Epidemiology
Female
General aspects
Health Surveys
Humans
Logistic Models
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Miscellaneous
Neurology
Occupational Diseases - etiology
Occupational Exposure - adverse effects
Occupational Exposure - analysis
Occupational Exposure - statistics & numerical data
Occupational medicine
Odds Ratio
Parkinson Disease - etiology
Public health. Hygiene
Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine
Risk Factors
Self Report
Surveys and Questionnaires
Vibration - adverse effects
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Summary:Mechanical stress producing head injury is associated with Parkinson's disease, suggesting that relations with other physical hazards such as whole-body vibration (WBV) should be tested. In this study, the authors evaluated the relation between occupational exposure to WBV and Parkinson's disease. A population-based case-control study with 403 cases and 405 controls was conducted in British Columbia, Canada, between 2001 and 2008. From detailed occupational histories and published measurements, metrics of occupational WBV exposure were constructed and tested for associations with Parkinson's disease using logistic regression and adjusting for age and sex first, and then also for smoking and history of head injury. While ever being occupationally exposed to WBV was inversely associated with Parkinson's disease (odds ratio = 0.67, 95% confidence interval: 0.48, 0.94), higher intensities had consistently elevated odds ratios, with a statistically significant effect being noted for intermediate intensities when exposures were restricted to the 10 years or more prior to diagnosis. Possible mechanisms of an inverse relation between low levels of WBV exposure and Parkinson's disease could include direct protective effects or correlation with other protective effects such as exercise. Higher intensities of WBV could result in micro-injury, leading to vascular or inflammatory pathology in susceptible neurons.
ISSN:0002-9262
1476-6256
DOI:10.1093/aje/kws017