The authors examined 275 miners from uranium mines working with vibration tools. Particular attention was paid to vessels of upper extremities. The mean age of the miners was 40. 1 years (S.D.=6.9), exposure to vibrations transmitted to upper extremities lasted 12.2 years (S.D.=5.0) and only uncertain subjective complaints were recorded. The authors used method for the estimation of differences in systolic pressure by dopplerometric determination on the arteries of forearms and fingers related to pressure on the arm and evaluated arteriovelocitograms and records of impedance rheography of the arms and fingers. The subjects were divided into three groups according to duration of vibration exposure. Pressure gradients indicating a significant stenosis or occlusion were found in 21.6 % of forearm arteries and in 4.9 % of fingers. Collateral arterial circulation was established in 16.9 % of the subjects. Insignificant hemodynamic disorder of the blood flow was recorded in 27.4 % of forearm arteries, 42.4 % of arcus palmares and 50.7 % of finger arteries. Most pathological indices were increasingly frequent in direction of periphery and in relation to increasing duration of vibration exposure. After a complex evaluation of all observed parameters a light disorder was classified in 21.8 % of subjects, light or medium severe in 31.3 %, medium severe in 24.7 % and medium severe or severe in 18.2 % of persons. Any disorders were lacking in four per cent of subjects. High incidence of vascular changes in workers using vibration tools, frequently almost without clinical manifestation, should be paid attention in evaluating general health. It is expected that organic changes facilitate origin of vascular spasms.

        Key words: vibration, organic vascular changes, blood flow in vessels, miners