Thermal perception thresholds among workers in a cold climate

Lage Burström,Hans Pettersson,Bodil Björ,Ingemar Rödin,Jens Wahlström,Tohr Nilsson

doi:10.1007/s00420-017-1227-x

Abstract

PurposeTo investigate whether exposure to cold could influence the thermal perception thresholds in a working population.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was comprised of 251 males and females and was carried out at two mines in the northern part of Norway and Sweden. The testing included a baseline questionnaire, a clinical examination and measurements of thermal perception thresholds, on both hands, the index (Digit 2) and little (Digit 5) fingers, for heat and cold.ResultsThe thermal perception thresholds were affected by age, gender and test site. The thresholds were impaired by experiences of frostbite in the fingers and the use of medication that potentially could affect neurosensory functions. No differences were found between the calculated normative values for these workers and those in other comparative investigations conducted in warmer climates.ConclusionsThe study provided no support for the hypothesis that living and working in cold climate will lead to impaired thermal perception thresholds. Exposure to cold that had caused localized damage in the form of frostbite was shown to lead to impaired thermal perception.

Highlights

Disturbance of the thermal perception occurs in many neurological patients related to, for instance, diabetes, chemotherapy, amyloidosis or immunological causes, as a consequence of lesions in the peripheral or central nervous system (Callaghan et al 2015; Chan and Wilder-Smith 2016; Fruhstorfer et al 1976; Guy et al 1985; Heldestad and Nordh 2007)
Statistical analyses showed that there was a significant difference between males and females in terms of age, height, weight, outdoor work and use of handheld tools, but not as regards use of tobacco, rated health, frost bites and use of medication that could affect neurosensory functions
The calculated mean thermal perception thresholds for heat and cold for the different test sites are shown in Table 2, stratified by gender

Summary

Introduction

Disturbance of the thermal perception occurs in many neurological patients related to, for instance, diabetes, chemotherapy, amyloidosis or immunological causes, as a consequence of lesions in the peripheral or central nervous system (Callaghan et al 2015; Chan and Wilder-Smith 2016; Fruhstorfer et al 1976; Guy et al 1985; Heldestad and Nordh 2007). There are work related exposures associated with thermal perception deterioration such as cold, vibration, and mechanical stress (Nilsson and Lundström 2001). The influence related to exposure to vibration and mechanical stress have been widely studied [see for instance (Rolke et al 2013; Toibana et al 2000)] but the influence of cold on the thermal perception has rarely been investigated. Participants who reported a cold injury had a more pronounced reduction in their thermal sensitivity. Such reduction in thermal perception after local freezing cold injury has been shown in a previous study (Carlsson et al 2014)

Methods

Results

Conclusion