The purpose of this study was to review occupational reproductive abnormalities and occupational bladder cancer in Korea and to discuss their toxicological implications. Reproductive dysfunction as a result of 2-bromopropane poisoning was first reported in Korean workers. In 1995, 23 of the 33 workers (25 female and 8 male workers) who were exposed to 2-bromopropane during the assembly of tactile switch parts developed reproductive and/or hematopoietic disorders. A total of 17 (68%) workers were diagnosed with ovarian failure. Two of the eight male workers experienced azoospermia and four workers experienced some degree of oligospermia or reduced sperm motility. In summary, 2-bromopropane poisoning caused severe reproductive effects in Korean workers. The prognosis was poor for reproductive dysfunction. A few cases of occupational bladder cancer have been reported in Korea, whereas other cancers of the urinary tract have not been reported after occupational exposure. A few cases of benzidine-induced cancer have been reported in Korea and 592 workers in Japan have received compensation for benzidine and beta-naphthylamine-induced cancer. In conclusion, a few cases of benzidine-induced occupational bladder cancer have been reported in Korea. However, benzidine-induced bladder cancer will likely be an important occupational health issue in Korea in the coming years.
2-Naphthylamine/toxicity ; Azoospermia/chemically induced/epidemiology ; Benzidines/toxicity ; Female ; Humans ; Hydrocarbons, Brominated/toxicity ; Infertility/*chemically induced/*epidemiology ; Male ; Occupational Diseases/*chemically induced/*epidemiology ; Occupational Exposure/adverse effects ; Oligospermia/chemically induced/epidemiology ; Primary Ovarian Insufficiency/chemically induced/epidemiology ; Republic of Korea ; Sperm Motility/drug effects ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/*chemically induced/*epidemiology

OBJECTIVES: This study is conducted to investigate the prevalence of work-related back pain among Driving and Transport Related Occupations and to identify the risk of mechanical factors and psychosocial factors. METHODS: Subjects were 779 operators and drivers of transportation vehicles selected from respondents from the 1st Korean Working condition survey. The occupation risk factors, including socioeconomic, ergonomic, psychosocial factors, were investigated. We used the multiple logistic regression analysis to determine the relationship between risk factors and low back pain. RESULTS: The prevalence of self-reported work-related low back pain was 27.7%. Adjusting for confounding factors, we determined that whole body vibration(OR 1.64 95% CI: 1.09~2.48), tiring posture(OR 5.18, 95% CI: 3.01~8.93), extended work(OR 1.91, 95% CI: 1.20~3.04), night-time work(OR 2.79, 95% CI: 1.86~4.19), evening work(OR 2.82, 95% CI: 1.78~4.46), shift work(OR 2.35, 95% CI: 1.30~4.26), job dissatisfaction (OR 2.65, 95% CI: 1.76~3.99), and experiencing physical violence at work(OR 5.31, 95% CI: 1.25~22.67) had meaningful relationships with low back pain. CONCLUSIONS: We found that the psychosocial risk factors were the most significant factors among drivers of transportation vehicles in Korea. Therefore, we suggest a health promotion program to relieve Job stress as a solution to prevent and control low back pain among drivers of transportation vehicles in Korea.
Back Pain ; Data Collection ; Health Promotion ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Low Back Pain ; Occupations ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Transportation ; Violence

Purpose: The aim of this study was to analyze the perioperative complications and oncological outcomes of radical prostatectomy (RP) in patients who underwent multiple prostate biopsies.
Materials and Methods: A total of 1,112 patients who underwent RP between January 2009 and April 2016 at 4 different centers were included in this study. We divided these patients into 2 groups: patients who underwent only 1st biopsy, and those who underwent 2nd or more repeated biopsies. The association between the number of prior biopsies and perioperative complications and biochemical recurrence (BCR) was analyzed.
Results: Of 1,112 patients, 1,046 patients (94.1%) underwent only 1st biopsy, and 66 (5.9%) underwent 2nd or more repeated biopsies. There were no significant differences in preoperative prostate-specific antigen levels, operation times, blood loss volumes, or hospital stay durations (all p＞0.05). Patients who underwent multiple prostate biopsies presented with a localized tumor significantly more often (p＜0.05). The Gleason score and rate of positive surgical margins were significantly lower in patients with multiple biopsies (all p＜0.05). The Cox proportional hazards model analysis indicated that there was no association between the number of prior prostate biopsies and BCR (p＞0.05). Kaplan-Meier curve analysis indicated that BCR-free survival rates between the 2 groups were similar (p＞0.05).
Conclusions Multiple prostate biopsies are not associated with an increased risk of perioperative complications, adverse pathological outcomes, or higher rates of BCR in patients who have undergone RP. (Korean J Urol Oncol 2020;18:24-31)