Association between exposure to heavy occupational lifting and cardiac structure and function: a cross-sectional analysis from the Copenhagen City Heart Study

Abstract

To investigate cross-sectional associations between heavy occupational lifting and cardiac structure and function. Participants from the 5th round of the Copenhagen City Heart Study, aged < 65 years old, answering a questionnaire regarding occupational physical activity, heavy occupational lifting, use of anti-hypertensive and heart medication, and data on blood pressure, cardiac structure and function, from an echocardiographic examination, were included. Adjusted linear regressions and logistic regressions were applied to estimate the cross-sectional association between heavy occupational lifting and cardiac structure and function across all included participants and in groups stratified by hypertension status, and the risk for having abnormal values of cardiac structure and function. 2511 participants were included. The cross-sectional standardized associations between heavy occupational lifting and measures of cardiac structure and function showed a trends for raised left ventricular mass index (LVMi) (β 0.14, 99% CI - 0.03 to 0.31). The standardized associations stratified by hypertensive status showed significant associations between exposure to heavy occupational lifting and LVMi (β 0.20, 99% CI - 0.002 to 0.40) and a trend of a raised end-diastolic interventricular septal thickness (IVSd) (β 0.15, 99% CI - 0.03 to 0.33) among normotensives. Exposure to heavy occupational lifting increased the odds for an abnormal IVSd (OR 1.42, 99% CI 1.07-1.89). This cross-sectional study shows heavy occupational lifting to associate with indices of abnormal cardiac structure and function among normotensives, indicating an increased risk for cardiovascular disease.

Keywords: Blue-collar; Cardiovascular disease; Cohort study; Heavy lifting; Manual handling; Occupational epidemiology; Occupational physical activity.