Objective To explore influencing factors of arrhythmia among metal-exposed workers in a cohort of Jinchuan Nonferrous Metals Corporation (Jinchang Cohort) in Gansu province of Chian and to provide evidences for developing etiology study and preventive measures for arrhythmia.
Methods We selected 5 758 workers by age stratification sampling from the participants of the Jinchang Cohort recruited from June 2011 to December 2013 and then conducted a 2-year follow-up among the workers. At the end of the follow-up, we assigned the workers with complete information into a case group (459 with first diagnosed arrhythmia) and a control group (3 090 with normal electrocardiograph ECG) for a nested case-control study. Multivariate unconditional logistic regression was used to explore influencing factors of arrhythmia among the workers.
Results Compared to those among the controls, significantly higher proportions of systolic blood pressure > 140 mm Hg (18.30% vs. 13.37%), with family history of hypertension (45.32% vs. 40.13%), with higher serum creatine kinase (8.06% vs. 5.66%), with higher serum uric acid (18.30% vs. 13.69%) were observed among the cases (all P < 0.05).Multivariate unconditional logistic regression analysis revealed that aged < 45 years, aged ≥ 65 years, high serum uric acid, and family history of hypertension were risk factors for arrhythmia in the workers.
Conclusion Arrhythmia is more likely to occur among the individuals with family history of hypertension and having higher serum uric acid among workers of all ages in the Jinchang Cohort.