High-Intensity Training Reduces CVD Risk Factors among Rotating Shift Workers: An Eight-Week Intervention in Industry

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The effect of a leisure time physical activity intervention delivered via a workplace. 15-Month Follow-Up Study

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Shift Work Including Night Work and Long Working Hours in Industrial Plants Increases the Risk of Atherosclerosis

There is an abundance of literature reporting an association between shift work and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Few studies have examined early manifestation of CVD using advanced modern methodology. We established a group of 65 shift workers and 29 day workers (controls) in two industrial plants. For the shift workers, the shift schedule includes rotating shifts with day, evening and nightshifts, some day and nightshifts lasting for 12 h. The current paper describes cross-sectional data in a study running for three years. We collected background data by questionnaire and measured blood pressure, heart rate, lipids, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and C-reactive protein (CRP). We examined arterial stiffness (central blood pressure, augmentation pressure and index, and pulse wave velocity) by the use of SphygmoCor® (AtCor Medical Pty Ltd, Sydney, Australia) and the carotid arteries by ultrasound. We assessed VO2max by bicycle ergometry. We applied linear and logistic regression to evaluate associations between total number of years in shift work and cardiovascular outcome measures. The day workers were older and had more pronounced arterial stiffness compared to the shift workers. Number of years as a shift worker was associated with increased carotid intima media thickness (max IMT) (B = 0.015, p = 0.009) and an elevated CRP (B = 0.06, p = 0.03). Within the normal range for this age group, VO2max was 41 (9) ml/kg/min. Rotating shift work including day and night shifts lasting up to 12 h and evening shifts are associated with CVD-risk factors. This could imply an increased risk for coronary heart disease and stroke among these workers. Therefore, preventive measures should be considered for these groups of workers in order to prevent such diseases.publishedVersio

The Effect of a Leisure Time Physical Activity Intervention Delivered via a Workplace: 15-Month Follow-Up Study

In line with recommendations from both the World Health Organization and the European Union some employers encourage workplace health promotion through physical activity (PA) facilities and leisure time PA-initiatives. The current study describes a 15-month follow-up after an 8-week workplace delivered PA-initiative, investigates if improvements in cardiovascular risk status are sustainable, and elucidates differences according to educational level. One hundred and twenty one employees (43 women) were examined before and after the 8-week PA-initiative and 94 at the 15-month follow-up. PA-levels, blood pressure, resting heart rate, lipids, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), C-reactive protein (CRP), and selected markers of inflammation were registered at baseline, immediately after the 8-week PA-initiative, and 15 months after baseline. At the end of follow-up (15-month), PA-levels—increased during the 8-week intervention—had returned to baseline values. None of the five improvements in cardiovascular markers (total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL), P-selectin, CD40Ligand (CD40L) and Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1)) seen at the 8-week follow-up were sustained. At the 15-month follow-up as compared to baseline HbA1c, CRP (log) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were reduced by 0.06 mmol/L (95% CI −0.11,−0.01), 0.25 mg/L (95% CI −0.46,−0.04) and 0.39 pg/mL (95% CI −0.75, −0.04), respectively. At baseline, there were differences in cardiovascular risk factors comparing men with low versus high levels of education. No differences in changes in outcomes between these groups of men were found during follow-up. In this study highly educated men generally have lower levels of cardiovascular risk factors, but the effect of PA on such markers in this group do not differ from the effects seen in less educated men

Helseeffekter hos anleggsdykkere

U današnje vrijeme strateški su savezi važan oblik povezivanja i suradnje među poduzećima. Poduzeća posluju u turbulentnoj okolinu, često nemaju dovoljno resursa, znanja ili financijskih sredstava da samo poduzmu određene poslovne operacije, stoga se povezivanje s drugim poduzećem nameće kao optimalna solucija. Važan pojam koji se veže uz strateške saveze jest sinergija. Radeći zajedno u savezu, poduzeća moraju ostvariti veće koristi i bolje rezultate nego što bi to mogle samostalno. U suprotnom, savez nije uspješan i strateško povezivanje nema smisla. Strateško povezivanje u Hrvatskoj nije dovoljno razvijeno. Iako istraţivanja pokazuju kako su hrvatski menadţeri spremni na sklapanje strateških saveza, oni su u Hrvatskoj više iznimka nego praksa. Ukoliko hrvatska poduzeća misle nastupati na meĎunarodnim trţištima i uspješno konkurirati za njih je koncept strateških saveza nuţan, jer su samostalno samo mali poslovni entiteti bez značajne snage i utjecaja. Zaključno, može se istaknuti kako će strateški savezi, s ubrzanim razvojem tehnologije, rastućom konkurencijom i promjenama u poslovanju, zasigurno biti i ostati ključ za postizanje strateških ciljeva i iznadprosječnih rezultata u poslovanju