Occupational risks in cardiac catheterization laboratory workers

Background: Orthopedic strain, work stress and radiation exposure are recognized risk factors in catheterization laboratory workers. However, the potential occupational health effects still needs to be investigated. Aim: To examine the prevalence of health problems among Cath Lab personnel and correlate them with years of work in cath lab. Method: A web-based national survey was launched in collaboration with the Italian Society of Invasive Cardiology (GISE). The questionnaire included items on symptoms and diseases, radiological workload, and years of employment, and all other lifestyle confounding factors. Results: A total number of 680 questionnaires were properly filled comprising 400 Cath Lab staff (247 males; 43±9 years) and 280 unexposed controls (179 males; 43±7years). Cath Lab personnel included 171 interventional cardiologists (138 males; 46±9 years); 175 nurses (73 males; 42±7 years) and 54 technicians (36 males; 40±12 years) working in cardiac cath lab for 11.0±8.0 years (range 1–46 years). There was no difference in terms of gender, age and smoking habits between exposed and unexposed subjects. Cath Lab personnel had a significantly higher incidence of skin lesions (p=0.004), orthopedic problems (p=0.0000), lens opacity/cataract (p=0.004), psychiatric/anxiety disorders (p=0.0000), thyroid disease (p=0.0000) and hypertension (p=0.001) when compared to controls. Statistically significant differences were found in the rate of clinical effects across tertiles of years of work (see Figure). Conclusions: Health problems (of complex origin, from orthopedic strain to chronic stress to radiation exposure) are more frequently observed in Cath Lab personnel than in unexposed controls, raising the need of innovations that increase safety of the staff.