Study on validity of thermal detection thresholds as an examination for evaluating vibration-induced neurophthy

1998 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 09670385
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Public health/Health science
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: SAKAKIBARA Hisataka School of Medicine, Nagoya University Professor, 医学部, 教授 (80153873)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TOYOSHIMA Hideaki School of Medicine, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (10023657) ; KONDO Taka-aki School of Medicine, Associate Professor, 医学部, 助教授 (00195900) ; MAEDA Setsuo Kinki University, Department of Industrial Engineering, Assistant Professor, 理工学部, 助教授 (70122108)
• Project Period (FY): 1997 – 1998
• Keywords: hand-arm vibration syndrome / peripheral neuropathy / thermal threshold

Research Abstract

Thermal thresholds as well as pain thresholds are expected to reflect the function of A delta myelinated fibers and C unmyelinated fibers, while vibrotactile thresholds are supposed to reflect the function of A beta myelinated fibers. Hence, the present study investigated the validity of thermal threshold measurements for evaluating vibration-induced neuropathy and also suitable test conditions. Worm and cold thermal thresholds of the finger were significantly damaged in patients with hand-arm vibration syndrome compared with healthy controls, and they tended to be worse with progress of peripheral nerve impairments. The thresholds were significantly correlated with pain thresholds. Additionally the specificity for detecting nerve damages was better than that of pain thresholds. These findings indicate that thermal threshold measurement is a useful test for evaluating vibration-induced neuropathy and can be an alternative to pain threshold measurement. And suitable test conditions need changing rate of test plate temperature at 1.0 ﾟC/s, press force of finger on the plate at 0.5 N, and a support of subject's arm.

Research Products

• [Publications] Setsuo Maeda: "Consideration of the frequency weighting in ISO 5349 and BS 6842 with respect to temporary changesin thermotactile thresholds,vibrotactile thresholds and circulatory function after acute exposure to hand-transmitted vibration" Proceedings of the 13^<th> Triennial Congress of the International Ergonomics Association. vol 2. 548-550 (1997)
  • Description: 「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
• [Publications] Norikuni Toibana: "Worm and cold threshold in the vibration syndrome patients compared with healthy controls" Proceedings of 8^<th> International Conference on Hand-Arm Vibration. 印刷中.
  • Description: 「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
• [Publications] Maeda S,Griffin BJ.: "Consideration of the frequency weighting in ISO 5349 and BS 6842 with respect to temporary changes in thermotactile thresholds, vibrotactile thresholds and circulatory function after acute exposure to hand-transmitted vibration." Proceedings of the 13^<th> Trinnial Congress of the International Ergonomics Association. Vol2. 548-550 (1977)
  • Description: 「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
• [Publications] Toibana N,Hirata M,Sakakibara H.: "Warm and cold threshold in the vibration syndrome patients compared with healthy controls." Proceedings of 8^<th> International Conference on Hand-Arm Vibration. (in press).
  • Description: 「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より