Development of methods to evaluate the care for sensitivity to cold

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K11927
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Fundamental nursing
• Research Institution: Gunma Paz University
• Principal Investigator: Masago Ryoko 群馬パース大学, 保健科学部, 非常勤講師 (30336531)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 上星 浩子 群馬パース大学, 保健科学部, 教授 (20389745) ; 佐藤 晶子 群馬パース大学, 保健科学部, 講師 (90458472)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 末梢循環 / 冷え症 / 毛細血管血流 / 温熱刺激

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of improving the circulation of blood by the care for sensitivity to cold. We evaluated by morphology and blood flow velocity using peripheral capillary observation with microscopy, fingertip blood flow, thermography and deep body temperature after hand bath, foot bath. After hand bath in women with cold sensitivity, the skin surface temperature of the forehead increased and the fingertip capillaries expanded. After footbath, there was no difference in deep temperature and skin surface temperature between the cold sensitivity group and the control group. However, fingertip blood flow and fingertip capillary blood flow were significantly changed by footbath in the cold group.
In conclusion, the improvements in peripheral blood flow were observed with fingertip blood flow and peripheral capillary observation. Women with sensitivity to cold may have different blood flow changes than healthy women.

Free Research Field

基礎看護学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまでの冷え対策の評価法はその効果を明らかにしているが，冷えによる末梢循環不全の状態把握や効果の機序を詳細に検討したものは少ない。本研究では、従来までの評価指標に加え、近年報告された非侵襲的の手指爪上皮部毛細血管の顕微鏡観察手法により、冷え対策の効果について末梢毛細血管を直接観察することが可能となる。
そのため本研究の成果は、冷え対策を臨床活用するための基礎的裏付けとなるものであり、循環系の評価方法を開発する上でも意義があると考える。