# Epidemiological patterns and occupational predictors of electrocardiographic abnormalities in seafarers: a multicenter health screening analysis

## TL;DR

This study examines the health of seafarers, focusing on ECG abnormalities and their risk factors, to guide health interventions for this population.

## Contribution

The study identifies occupational and health predictors of ECG abnormalities in seafarers using a large-scale health screening dataset.

## Key findings

- Abnormal ECGs in seafarers are primarily due to myocardial ischemia/infarction and arrhythmia.
- High blood pressure, high fasting blood glucose, and smoking are significant risk factors for ECG abnormalities.
- Fatty liver and urinary stones are common in seafarers over 40 years old.

## Abstract

To analyze the results of seafarers’ health checkups, to understand the physical health status of seafarers and the high incidence of diseases, and to investigate the factors related to the abnormalities of electrocardiograms (ECG) of seafarers, so as to provide theoretical basis for improving the health level of seafarers and formulating the health intervention plan for seafarers.

10,174 seafarers who underwent health checkups at the Yangtze River Shipping General Hospital from January 2024 to December 2024 were selected as the survey subjects, and clinical data such as their general conditions, ECG and other functional examinations, and biochemical indicators were extracted. SPSS 26.0 software was used for statistical analysis to understand the disease composition of seafarers’ health checkups, and single-factor analysis and multifactor logistic regression analysis were used to explore the influencing factors of seafarers’ abnormal ECG results.

Abnormal body mass index (BMI), abdominal obesity, refractive error, liver function abnormality, ECG abnormality, high blood pressure, high fasting blood glucose and other abnormalities were more common in the health checkup of seafarers. Among them, abnormal ECG is mainly classified into myocardial ischemia/infarction and arrhythmia. Fatty liver and urinary stones were common in ultrasound examination of seafarers over 40 years old. High blood pressure, high fasting blood glucose and smoking were risk factors for abnormal ECG results.

Carrying out the health management of seafarers, strengthening the health education of seafarers with high prevalence of diseases, dynamically tracking the abnormal results of seafarers’ physical examination, and increasing the prevention and control of cardiovascular diseases in seafarers’ group can effectively improve the comprehensive health level of seafarers’ group.