MECHANICAL VIBRATION AND 35S INCORPORATION

Occupational trauma in the form of vibration is implicated in the increased occurrence of osteoarthritis, systemic sclerosis, and Raynaud's phenomenon in certain industrial workers. Since only histochemical and histologic changes were delineated in previous studies, this investigation evaluated effects of controlled mechanical vibration on metabolic processes in cartilage and similar tissues using radiosulfur as a tracer. Normal rats subjected to periodic vibration increased the incorporation of 35S in nearly all tissues, including thymus, liver, aorta, lung, heart, and cartilage. No morphologic changes were found in these tissues. This stimulatory effect is influenced both by quantity and quality of the vibration, being dose-related, that is, greater changes occur with longer exposures; and type-related, that is, greater changes occur with lower frequencies. Possible connections are discussed between exposure to vibration and the increased occurrence of connective tissue disorders in certain industries, especially mining. © 1969.