Environmental medicine, clinical occupational medicine
Publication:
Greiner A, Drexler H. Unnötige Diagnostik in der Umweltmedizin – Eine retrospektive Kohortenstudie. Dtsch Arztebl Int 2016; 113: 773-780
Unnötige-Diagnostik-in-der-Umweltmedizin (Ärzteblatt)
Contact person:
Critical press reports on the occupational-hygiene situation in police firing ranges and the resulting potential health hazards were investigated by means of biological exposure monitoring for antimony and lead in police officers in Bavaria. The repeated exceedances of reference values for antimony indicated a possible (although small) occupational contribution to background antimony exposure in the police officers examined. Based on the available scientific data on the toxicological and carcinogenic effects of antimony (in the high-dose range), no health hazards were expected at the exposure levels measured. Increased lead exposure due to police firearms training was not found. Blood lead levels higher than the reference value for the general population were only found in police officers who carried out additional firearms training at off-duty shooting ranges.
Publication
Hiller J, Göen T, Drexler H. Antimon- und Blei-Belastungen durch Schießtraining bei Polizisten. Arbeitsmed Sozialmed Umweltmed 2018; 53: 392–399.
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Scientific background
Post-COVID syndrome is currently defined as symptoms which persist more than 12 weeks after the start of an acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. According to the S1 Guideline on Long/Post-COVID Syndrome issued by the Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Wissenschaftlichen Medizinischen Fachgesellschaften (AWMF), long COVID is defined as symptoms which persist 4–12 weeks after the start of infection.
Long/post-COVID syndrome is widely covered in public media, garnering considerable attention from the general population. Significant, adverse health effects might arise from long/post-COVID syndrome, which may, in turn, lead to social and economic consequences. The additional burden on the health system is especially notable, not only due to the treatment of COVID-19 infections, but also as a result of employees requiring long-term medical absences.
Symptoms similar to those of long/post-COVID syndrome have also been repeatedly reported after COVID-19 vaccinations and have come to be referred to as post-vac or post-vaccination syndrome. What is particularly interesting is that more than half of all suspected cases of “post vac” have been reported in Germany, although it is clear that half of all COVID-19 vaccinations were not administered in Germany (statement by the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut on the topic of “post-vaccination syndrome” after COVID-19 vaccination from May 19, 2023).
The factors investigated in this study – such as symptom severity, long-term progression, and subjective disease perceptions – are intended to comprise an important contribution to the understanding of long/post-COVID syndrome and what is known as post-vaccination syndrome. The online survey is intended for all employees and students of Kliniken Oberpfalz AG, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg.
Project goals:
- How frequently do long/post-COVID or post-vaccination symptoms arise?
- Are there predictors for the emergence of long/post-COVID or post-vaccination syndrome (e.g. pre-existing conditions, demographic factors)?
- How frequently do post-COVID and/or post-vaccination symptoms disappear completely or improve over time?
- How frequently do post-COVID and/or post-vaccination symptoms worsen over time?
- Are there predictors for the disappearance / improvement / worsening of post-COVID and post-vaccination syndromes?
- Do affected parties have subjective theories regarding the emergence of their long/post-COVID and/or post-vaccination syndromes as well as the disappearance / improvement / worsening of symptoms?
- Which subjective theories are explicitly mentioned?
- What measures have led affected parties to a subjective perception of disappearance / improvement / worsening of long/post-COVID or post-vaccination symptoms?
Participation in the study:
Survey ended
Study information:
Click here for more information on the study.
Project coordination:
Dr. med. Anna Wolfschmidt-Fietkau