A study on the intervention in health management of workers in Fukushima with a newly developed bio-monitoring system M-BIT

M-BIT (Bioinformation Transfer Memory type) is a new system that monitors bio-signals like electrocardiogram (ECG), dermal temperature (DT) and posture, and can also watch the activities of autonomic, sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves through ECG analysis with its specified software of RR interval. For the purpose to see M-BIT usefulness for managing physical conditions of workers, investigated was the laboring load with M-BIT of medical workers who had accompanied residents at their tentative entrance in its restricted area after the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Accident. Workers were one male doctor, male medical radiation technologist, female nurse and male officer, who had either worn thoroughly, sometimes at necessary or had not, the protective wear Tyvek coverall. M-BIT monitoring was conducted at 2 or 5 study days, and 16 data from the 4 subjects above were classified in before-, during- and after-work. Findings of significance within individual's data during-work were: fall of HF component (high frequency, a measure of parasympathetic nerve activity) of power spectrum in 6 data vs elevation in 3; fall of DT in 5 vs elevation in 7; and fall of heart rate in 2 vs elevation in 10; no particular common tendency was noted. Other comparison between parameters showed insignificant changes with exception of DT at Tyvek wearing (elevation). Thus, objective evaluation of laboring load could not be clearly done here, but changes of individual's bio-signals were observable, suggesting the usefulness of M-BIT to manage their real time physical conditions at work. (T.T.)