Activation of blood platelets and increased plasma fibrinogen and fibronectin in men exposed to infrasounds, acoustic noise and airborne dust in electric steelworks.

Concentration of platelet factor 4 (PF4), beta-thromboglobulin (beta TG), fibrinogen (Fg), and fibronectin (Fn) was determined in samples of blood plasma taken from healthy men employed in two electric steelworks in Poland. They had been working at electric arc furnaces and thus particularly exposed to intense infrasounds, acoustic noise and airborne dust during 2 to 15 years for 6-8 hours per day. We found a significant increase in levels of beta TG, Fn, and Fg, but not of PF4, in blood plasma of men exposed to these agents. The beta TG/PF4 ratio, significantly higher in studied groups (p less than 0.001) when compared to control ones, was considerably correlated (r = 0.47, p less than 0.02) with their duration of work. We also found weak correlations between plasma beta TG levels (r = 0.33, p less than 0.05) or concentration of plasma Fn (r = 0.38, p less than 0.02) and time of work under such hazardous conditions.