Effect of room temperature on tests for diagnosing vibration-induced white finger: finger rewarming times and finger systolic blood pressures

Abstract

Purpose: This study investigates the effects of room temperature on two standard tests used to assist the diagnosis of vibration-induced white finger (VWF): finger rewarming times and finger systolic blood pressures.

Methods: Twelve healthy males and twelve healthy females participated in four sessions to obtain either finger skin temperatures (FSTs) during cooling and rewarming of the hand or finger systolic blood pressures (FSBPs) after local cooling of the fingers to 15 and 10 °C. The measures were obtained with the room temperature at either 20 or 28 °C.

Results: There were lower baseline finger skin temperatures, longer finger rewarming times, and lower finger systolic blood pressures with the room temperature at 20 than 28 °C. However, percentage reductions in FSBP at 15 and 10 °C relative to 30 °C (i.e. %FSBP) did not differ between the two room temperatures. Females had lower baseline FSTs, longer rewarming times, and lower FSBPs than males, but %FSBPs were similar in males and females.

Conclusions: Finger rewarming times after cold provocation are heavily influenced by room temperature and gender. For evaluating peripheral circulatory function using finger rewarming times, the room temperature must be strictly controlled, and a different diagnostic criterion is required for females. The calculation of percentage changes in finger systolic blood pressure at 15 and 10 °C relative to 30 °C reduces effects of both room temperature and gender, and the test may be used in conditions where the ±1 °C tolerance on room temperature required by the current standard cannot be achieved.

Keywords: Cold provocation test; Finger skin temperature; Finger systolic blood pressure; Hand-arm vibration syndrome; Hand-transmitted vibration; Vibration-induced white finger.

Fig. 1

Median finger skin temperatures before, during, and after immersion of the hand in stirred water at 15 °C for 5 min. Data from 24 subjects

Fig. 2

Medians and interquartile ranges (IQR) of finger skin temperature (FST) on the right middle finger before and after FSBP tests at 30, 15, and 10 °C water temperature with room temperatures of 20 and 28 °C. Data from 12 males and 12 females. Data from 24 subjects

Fig. 3

Medians and interquartile ranges (IQR) of finger systolic blood pressure (FSBP) with 30, 15, and 10 °C water temperatures and %FSBP calculated with 15 and 10 °C water temperatures and room temperatures of 20 and 28 °C. Data from 12 males and 12 females. Data from 24 subjects