Incidence rates of surgically treated rhegmatogenous retinal detachment among manual workers, non-manual workers and housewives in Tuscany, Italy

• Published in: International archives of occupational and environmental health Vol. 87; no. 5; pp. 539 - 545
• Main Authors: Curti, Stefania, Coggon, David, Baldasseroni, Alberto, Cooke, Robin M. T., Fresina, Michela, Campos, Emilio C., Semeraro, Francesco, Zanardi, Francesca, Farioli, Andrea, Violante, Francesco S., Mattioli, Stefano
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.07.2014; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Age Distribution; Biological and medical sciences; Earth and Environmental Science; Environment; Environmental Health; Eye diseases; Eye surgery; Female; Household Work - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Incidence; Italy - epidemiology; Lifting - adverse effects; Male; Manual workers; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Occupational Health; Occupational medicine; Occupational Medicine/Industrial Medicine; Occupations - statistics & numerical data; Ophthalmology; Original; Original Article; Population studies; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Rehabilitation; Retinal Detachment - epidemiology; Retinal Detachment - surgery; Retinopathies; Risk Factors; Sex Distribution; Italy; Europe; Tuscany; Tuscany Italy; Italy, Tuscany; Incidence study; Patient discharge; Manual work; Retinal surgery; Human; Retinal detachment; Hospital discharge; Retinopathy; Manuals; Retina; Manual activity; Occupational exposure; Epidemiology; Incidence; Eye; Visual system; Eye disease; Surgery; Worker; Occupational medicine
• ISSN: 0340-0131; 1432-1246; 1432-1246
• DOI: 10.1007/s00420-013-0894-5

Purpose Candidate risk factors for idiopathic rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) include heavy manual handling (requiring Valsalva’s maneuver). We assessed incidence rates of surgically treated idiopathic RRD among manual workers, non-manual workers and housewives resident in Tuscany, Italy. Methods We retrieved all hospital discharge records bearing a principal diagnosis corresponding to RRD coupled with retinal surgery for any resident of Tuscany during 1997–2009. After elimination of repeated admissions and patients with coexistent, associated conditions (including recent trauma), subjects aged 25–59 years were classified as manual workers, non-manual workers or housewives. Population data were extracted from the 2001 census. Results We identified 1,946 eligible cases (1,142 men). Among men, manual workers experienced a 1.8-fold higher age-standardized rate per 100,000 person-years than non-manual workers [17.4 (95 % confidence interval (CI) 16.1–18.7) vs. 9.8 (95 % CI 8.8–10.8)]. Age-standardized rates among women were 1.9-fold higher for manual workers [11.1 (95 % CI 9.8–12.3)] and 1.7-fold higher for housewives [9.5 (95 % CI 8.3–10.8)] than in non-manual workers [5.7 (95 % CI 4.8–6.6)]. Conclusions This large population-based study suggests that manual workers are affected by idiopathic RRD requiring surgical treatment more often than non-manual workers. The higher rates of surgically treated RRD experienced by manual workers are in accord with the hypothesis that heavy manual handling may have a causal role.