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- Title
Infrared thermometry in the diagnosis of hand–arm vibration syndrome.
- Authors
Youakim, S.
- Abstract
Background Clinicians need an accurate diagnostic test for hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS). Aims To validate a simple thermometric method to diagnose HAVS-related Raynaud's phenomenon. Methods Fifteen workers with photographically confirmed HAVS-related Raynaud's phenomenon were compared to controls without Raynaud's phenomenon and an occupational history of hand-armvibration exposure. Digit temperatures were measured using an infrared thermometer before and after immersion in 5°C water for 1 min. Results The HAVS patients differed significantly from the controls in terms of baseline temperature, rewarming time and rate. The fingertip-base temperature gradient was more commonly positive among the controls. Conclusions The test method evaluated in this study is simple, cheap and accurate. If the pre-test probability is at least 35%, the best test variable to confirm the diagnosis of HAVS-related Raynaud's phenomenon is the time to rewarm to baseline of the first three fingertips providing the interval is ≥8-9 min.
- Subjects
PHYSIOLOGICAL effects of infrared radiation; MEDICAL thermometry; RAYNAUD'S disease; VIBRATION syndrome; OCCUPATIONAL diseases; DIAGNOSIS
- Publication
Occupational Medicine, 2010, Vol 60, Issue 3, p225
- ISSN
0962-7480
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1093/occmed/kqq004