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The authors considered topics of occupational and general comorbidity of occupational lumbosacral radiculopathy in coal miners (2791 examinees) observed over 1976-2014 in occupational center. In patients having lumbosacral radiculopathy without occupational mixed diseases, the occupational disease was diagnosed at the age 3-5 years younger, and 2-4 years earlier from primary visit. Analysis of occurrence of general comorbid conditions with lumbosacral radiculopathy revealed some regularities: patients manifested with symptoms due to vibration have more frequent arterial hypertension than in those with lumbalgia, whereas in risk group of hearing affected by noise IHD was more possible.

The authors constructed forecasting models of risk for occupational lumbosacral radiculopathy combined with vibration disease and occupational neurosensory deafness in coal miners suffering from lower back pain and signs of occupational hazards influence on health state. Scientific basis covered determination of high and low risk groups for health disorders in miners, according to calculations within suggested formula in forecasting models. Findings are that each year following primary diagnosis of lower back pain and signs of occupational hazards influence on health state, probability of occupational lumbosacral radiculopathy combined with vibration disease increased by-1S% (OR = 1.15 1; 95% CI = 1.105-1.200), combined with occupational neurosensory deafness - by 5% (OR = 1.054, 95% CI = 1.097- 1.507). Probability to get occupational neurosensory deafness combined with occupational lumbosacral radiculopathy was maximal in miners aged 30-39, and combination of vibration disease and radiculopathy was more frequent in miners aged 40-49 (OR = 1.542; 95% CI = 1.154-2.062).

The results of a retrospective dynamic monitoring in 1976-2014 of the workers of coal mines of main (n = 1732) and auxiliary (n = 1059) occupations, with diagnosed occupational sciatica (OS) in the center of occupational medicineare viewed. It was found that the workers of the main occupationson average of 3 years earlier than initially treated at the center of occupational medicine, and occupational disease OS sets for them 1.5-2 years earlier. The analysis of the formation of risk groups depending on the diagnosis and treatment of the primary analysis of the incidence of OS.

Clinical and functional studies helped to assess influence of vegetative nervous system on course of vibration disease and chronic lumbosacral radiculopathy in miners. Vegetative dysfunction syndrome varying in intensity was associated with simultaneous overstrain in segmentary and supersegmentary units of vegetative nervous system. The authors defined dependence between vegetative dysfunction intensity and neuromuscular disorders severity. With this, increased threshold of N-reflex with lower amplitude accompanied decrease in M-response amplitude and shorter latent period, in accordance with peripheral nerve impulse speed. The dependence between vegetative nervous system strain and neuromuscular disorders intensity underlies pain syndrome degree in vibration disease and chronic lumbosacral radiculopathy in miners.

Based on clinical and electrophysiologic studies, the authors analysed neuro-muscular apparatus of "spinal center--periphery" axis for miners with radicular pain caused by occupational lumbosacral radiculopathy. Findings are that constantly irritated receptors in lumbar motor segment during occupational activities alter habitual motor stereotype and cause specific compensatory muscular reactions, rearrangement of motor activity in segmental apparatus.

Given decreased production in coal industry, mass shutting the mines, a trend to increased incidence of lumbosacral dorsopathy is seen in Rostov region. The authors analyze the morbidity increase, influence of work factors as well as dystrophic and degenerative vertebral changes on the disease progress.