Abstract:
Objective To study the effects of occupational vanadium exposure on workers' cardiovascular system.
Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted to compare the blood pressure, electrocardiogram, and symptoms of cardiovascular system between workers selected from a vanadium plant (vanadium group) and a cold-rolling mill (control group).
Results The detection rate of cardiovascular system symptoms in the vanadium group was 2.6 times higher than the control group (OR=2.60, P<0.05). Furthermore, the length of service were positively related to the detection rate of cardiovascular system symptoms (OR=1.40, P<0.05). The systolic blood pressure in the vanadium group was statistically higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). No differences were found in the diastolic pressure, prevalence of hypertension, and abnormal electrocardiogram condition between the two groups (P>0.05).
Conclusion Vanadium compounds pose potential risks to the cardiovascular health of workers exposed to vanadium.