Research ArticleOpen Access

Regional Associations of CHD and Musculoskeletal Morbidity with Environmental and Geographic Factors – e.g. ca, mg, si, sn

Volume 4 - Issue 2

Töysä T*

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- Licentiate of Medicine, Specialty General Practice, Rehabilitation Hospital Vetrea Terveys Oy, Finland
*Corresponding author: Töysa T, Licentiate of Medicine, Specialty General Practice, Rehabilitation Hospital Vetrea Terveys Oy, Pohjolankatu 15, FI-74100 Iisalmi, Finland

Received: April 13, 2018; Published: May 01, 2018

DOI: 10.26717/BJSTR.2018.04.001019

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Abstract

During last years the authors have discussed whether musculoskeletal diseases, as osteoathritis, could be a CHD risk factor and how to explain it. Connective tissue of the arterial wall has been suggested to participate in the progression and protection of CHD. CHD risk is composed of two risk clusters: individual and regional factors. In Finland individual major and minor risk factors have explained 40 % of CHD east-west difference. Some regional risk factors have alone or combined explained more. In this study we have benefited age standardised morbidity indices of CHD and musculoskeletal disorders (MuSk) (MuSk as an indicator of connective tissue welfare) from 2012-2014 provided by National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) and their associations with each other, geographical factors [latitude, longitude, temperature (Temp), average annual snow cover duration [Snow.cover] – as a measure of biological activity and soil weathering], groundwater (gw) and (agricultural) soil factors [Ca, Mg, (Ca+Mg), (Mg/Ca)], gw silicon [Si.gw] and (agricultural) soil tin [Sn.soil]. Si has, as a structural component, associations with connective tissue. Sn has associations with connective tissue (glycosaminoglycan – GAG) synthesis.

Results: In general, geographic and meteorological factors explained CHD stronger than Musk or other factors. CHD and MuSk were explained significantly (p < 0.01) and similarly by factors, which have associations with connective tissue: [Si.gw] explained them [(CHD/ MuSk)] by (39/39) %, [Sn.soil] by (71/44) %, factors associated with soil weathering and biological activity: Temp by (52/39) % and [Snow. cover] by (68/49) %. MuSk alone explained CHD by 44 %.

Conclusions: Environmental factors, Si and Sn, which have associations with connective tissue structures or synthesis, explained CHD and MuSk (morbidity) significantly and similarly. MuSk explained regional CHD risk about as well as conventional factors earlier (by different age groups).

Kewords: CHD; Si; Ca; Mg, Sn; Roundwater; Soil; GAG; Collagen; Intramural Friction

Abbreviation: Ca: Calsium; CHD: Coronary Heart Disease; GAG (includes e.g. Heparin; Chondroitin Sulphate and Hyaluronic Acid); GW: Ground Water; Mg: Magnesium; MuSk: Morbidity Index of Musculoskeletal Disorders or Musculoskeletal Diseases; National Institute for Health and Welfare – THL: Terveyden ja Hyvinvoinnin Laitos; Sn-tin; Snow Cover-Average Annual Snow Cover Duration (1981-2010); Soil-Agricultural Top Soil; Top Soil – Highest Soil Layer (0-25 cm); Temp - Average Annual Temperature (1981-2010).