Salivary Endothelin and Vascular Disorders in vibration-exposed Workers

Objectives This study investigated the relation between salivary endothelin, vibration exposure, and vascular disorders in a group of forestry workers. Methods Altogether 54 forestry workers and 52 controls underwent a medical examination and a cold test with measurement of the percentage of change in finger systolic blood pressure after finger cooling from 30°C to 10°C (FSBP% 10°). Salivary endothelin concentration (ET,₁₋₂₁, in fmol/ml) was measured by a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay before and after the cold challenge. The anamnestic diagnosis of vibrationinduced white finger (VWF), assisted by color charts, was based on the Stockholm Workshop criteria. Results Six forestry workers (11%) and one control (2%) reported white fingers. Before the cold challenge, the salivary ET₁₋₂₁, concentration was significantly greater in the VWF workers than in the controls (P=0.036). The cold response of digital arteries was stronger in the VWF workers than in the controls (P