Vibration effects on fatty acid composition of organ and cell membrane lipids.

The influence of middle and high frequency vibrations (50 and 150 Hz) on the fatty acid pattern of structural lipids in white rat liver, kidney, heart, aorta and muscular tissue was studied in a 3-month experiment. The study also examined the fatty acid composition of phospholipids in erythrocyte cell membranes of workers occupationally exposed to vibrations and of patients suffering from vibration disease. Statistically significant changes in the per cent distribution of fatty acids were observed, which were more evident in the liver and kidney of experimental animals, and also after high frequency (150 Hz) vibration exposure. Changes in human subjects were greater in workers exposed to hand-arm vibrations and in patients suffering from vibration disease. Routine and more precise methods are needed to assess occupational risk via determination of the lipid metabolism state in workers exposed to vibrations and in patients suffering from vibration disease.