Significant Difference In Skin Temperature Research Articles

Infrared thermography for assessing skin temperature differences between Partial Body Cryotherapy and Whole Body Cryotherapy devices at −140 °C

Because of the scarcity of the literature on the comparative efficiency of Partial Body Cryotherapy versus Whole Body Cryotherapy, it appears that the decision to switch from the former to the latter is purely arbitrary and does not actually meet any scientifically established criterion. The motivation of this study is to draw up an objective observation of the differences between Partial Body Cryotherapy and Whole Body Cryotherapy treatments, based on the analysis of skin temperature distribution. Ten healthy subjects who engage in regular physical activity participated in the study (50% female; means ± S.D.: age 45.8 ± 5.5 years, height 168.7 ± 9,3 cm, weight 75.3 ± 13.1 kg, body fat percentage 19.3 ± 9,8). Sessions took place in a cryosauna and a cryochamber at identical temperature (−140 °C), duration of cryostimulation (3 min) and nature of the refrigerant used (liquid nitrogen vapor). It is shown that the skin temperature difference between Partial Body Cryotherapy and Whole Body Cryotherapy varies according to the vertical location of the body regions, increasingly from 15% on the lower areas of the body (no significant difference in skin temperature for legs P = .171) up to 53% for the upper areas (significant difference P < 0.001 for chest). These observations show the caution with which these two cryotherapy systems must be considered. The knowledge of the differences in cutaneous thermal response between these two systems should guide sports coaches and physicians in prescribing differentiated treatment protocols in order to achieve comparable skin temperature effects and consequently to efficiently cool tissues in the same way.

Effect of Acetaminophen Ingestion on Thermoregulation of Normothermic, Non-febrile Humans.

In non-febrile mouse models, high dose acetaminophen administration causes profound hypothermia. However, this potentially hazardous side-effect has not been confirmed in non-febrile humans. Thus, we sought to ascertain whether an acute therapeutic dose (20 mg⋅kg lean body mass) of acetaminophen would reduce non-febrile human core temperature in a sub-neutral environment. Ten apparently healthy (normal core temperature, no musculoskeletal injury, no evidence of acute illness) Caucasian males participated in a preliminary study (Study 1) to determine plasma acetaminophen concentration following oral ingestion of 20 mg⋅kg lean body mass acetaminophen. Plasma samples (every 20 min up to 2-hours post ingestion) were analyzed via enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Thirteen (eight recruited from Study 1) apparently healthy Caucasian males participated in Study 2, and were passively exposed to 20°C, 40% r.h. for 120 min on two occasions in a randomized, repeated measures, crossover design. In a double blind manner, participants ingested acetaminophen (20 mg⋅kg lean body mass) or a placebo (dextrose) immediately prior to entering the environmental chamber. Rectal temperature, skin temperature, heart rate, and thermal sensation were monitored continuously and recorded every 10 min. In Study 1, the peak concentration of acetaminophen (14 ± 4 μg/ml) in plasma arose between 80 and 100 min following oral ingestion. In Study 2, acetaminophen ingestion reduced the core temperature of all participants, whereas there was no significant change in core temperature over time in the placebo trial. Mean core temperature was significantly lower in the acetaminophen trial compared with that of a placebo (p < 0.05). The peak reduction in core temperature in the acetaminophen trial was reached at 120 min in six of the thirteen participants, and ranged from 0.1 to 0.39°C (average peak reduction from baseline = 0.19 ± 0.09°C). There was no significant difference in skin temperature, heart rate, or thermal sensation between the acetaminophen and placebo trials (p > 0.05). The results indicate oral acetaminophen reduces core temperature of humans exposed to an environment beneath the thermal neutral zone. These results suggest that acetaminophen may inhibit the thermogenic mechanisms required to regulate core temperature during exposure to sub-neutral environments.

Creating a sleep-permissive condition using bed warming

Recent studies showed that mild skin warming, without hampering core body temperature decline, improved sleep onset and promoted slow wave sleep and sleep maintenance [1,2]. We were challenged to translate these findings, originating from fully controlled laboratory studies, into a prototype for a home-applicable, sleep promoting solution. As a suitable solution, a multi-zoned low power feedback controlled electric heating blanket was developed. It was hypothesized that mild bed warming will increase skin temperature – without affecting core body temperature – and subsequently affect sleep. 8 healthy sleepers (4 males) were studied in the sleep experience laboratory for two nights. Participants slept one night in a bed warmed to 34°C (W) and one night in a non-warmed bed (N). Bed temperature was controlled via a multi-zoned low power feedback controlled electric heating blanket developed at our technical department. Skin temperature was calculated by means of temperature sensors placed on 9 standard body positions. Sleep was measured using PSG and questionnaires. Relative amount of Wake (N: 2.5 ± 0.6% vs. W: 0.9 ± 0.2%; p = 0.023) and S1 (N: 3.7 ± 0.7% vs. W: 2.4 ± 0.3%; p = 0.043) was suppressed whilst sleeping in the warmed bed. Furthermore, SOL was shorter (N: 16.8 ± 4.4 min vs. W: 10.4 ± 4.1 min; p = 0.009) and the sleep efficiency (N: 94.5 ± 0.9% vs. W: 97.0 ± 0.8%; p = 0.004) was higher in the bed warming condition. The reduction in the relative amount of Wake was also reflected in the subjective reports on wakefulness (N: 16.8 ± 7.6 min vs. W: 6.3 ± 3.6 min; p = 0.034). Surprisingly, no significant differences in skin temperature were observed between the bed warming condition and the control condition. In the present study, we showed that feedback-controlled bed warming improved sleep, even without observing an overall higher mean skin temperature. Since we did not replicate warming effects on SWS sleep [2], we concluded that mild bed warming (without affecting skin temperature) is creating a sleep-permissive condition rather than a sleep promoting condition. These findings show that the use of temperature manipulations to affect sleep go beyond well-controlled laboratory settings; bed warming is an affordable and easy to apply sleep aid that might be of use in a clinical/therapeutic setting as well. [1] Raymann RJ et al., AJP, 2005;1589–97. [2] Raymann RJ et al., Brain, 2008;500–13.

Accuracy of two forms of infrared image analysis of the masticatory muscles in the diagnosis of myogenous temporomandibular disorder

The aim of the present study was to assess the accuracy of two forms of infrared image analysis (area and extension) of the masseter and anterior temporalis muscles in the diagnosis of myogenous temporomandibular disorder (TMD). A cross-sectional study was carried out involving 104 female volunteers from the university community. Following the application of the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders, the volunteers were divided into a TMD group (n = 52) and control group (n = 52), and evaluated using infrared thermography. The area and extension of the masseter and anterior temporalis muscles were measured on the images. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to determine diagnostic accuracy (area under the curve), best cutoff point, sensitivity and specificity. A significant difference in skin temperature between groups was only found in the measurement of the area of the left anterior temporalis muscle (p = 0.011). The area under the ROC curve was less than the reference values for all muscles evaluated in the analyses of area and extension. Thus, neither method of infrared thermography tested for the quantification of the masseter and anterior temporalis muscles (analysis of area and extension) is consistent with the RDC/TMD for the diagnosis of myogenous TMD in women.

The effect of skin surface warming during anesthesia preparation on preventing redistribution hypothermia in the early operative period of off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery

Redistribution hypothermia adversely affects hemodynamics and postoperative recovery in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. In off-pump coronary bypass surgery (OPCAB), maintaining the temperature is important because warming by cardiopulmonary bypass is omitted. Pre-warming studies reported earlier showing pre-warming as an effective means of preventing redistribution hypothermia was time consuming since it required at least 1-2h to pre-warm the patients before the surgery. Because pre-warming for such a long time is impractical in clinical practice, this study evaluated the efficacy of active warming during the preanesthetic period for the prevention of redistribution hypothermia in the early operative period of OPCAB. After gaining the approval of Institutional Review Board and informed consent from the patients, 40 patients undergoing OPCAB were divided into control and pre-warming groups. The patients in control group (n=20) were managed with warm mattresses and cotton blankets, whereas patients in pre-warming group (n=20) were actively warmed with a forced-air warming device before the induction of anesthesia. Hemodynamic variables and temperature were recorded before anesthesia (Tpre) and at 30 min intervals after anesthesia for 90 min (T30, T60, and T90). Active warming duration was 49.7+/-9.9 min. There were no statistically significant differences in skin temperature, core temperature and hemodynamic variables between the two groups at preinduction period except for mean arterial pressure and central venous pressure. The core temperature at T30, T60, and T90 was statistically higher in pre-warming group than that in control group. Core temperature of six (30%) and seven patients (35%) in control group was reduced below 35 degrees C at T60 and T90, respectively, whereas core temperature of only one patient (5%) in pre-warming group was reduced below 35 degrees C at T90 (P=0.02). Active warming using forced air blanket before the induction of anesthesia reduced the incidence and degree of redistribution hypothermia in patients undergoing OPCAB. It is a simple method with reasonable cost, which does not delay the induction of anesthesia nor the surgery.

Effects of SP-6 Acupressure on Dysmenorrhea, Skin Temperature of CV2 Acupoint and Temperature, in the College Students

The purpose of this study was to identify effects of the SP-6 acupressure on dysmenorrhea, the skin temperature of the CV2 acupoint and oral temperatures in the college students. Data was collected from May 1 to August 31, 2002. A total of 58 students from two universities participated in the study. Both groups were pretested before the intervention for three variables', the intensity of dysmenorrhea, skin temperature of the CV2 acupoint and oral temperature. Then, SP-6 acupressure was provided for 20 minutes for students in the experimental group. The instruments used in this study included the Visual Analogue Scale developed by Johnson & Rice(1974), Menstrual Attitudes Questionnaire Scale developed by Brooks-Gunn & Ruble(1980), and a Stress scale developed by Cheun and Kim(1991). There were statistically significant differences in the intensity of dysmenorrhea 30 minutes after the intervention. The experimental group had a lower intensity than the control group. There were not statistically significant differences in skin temperature of the CV2 acupoint and oral temperature 30 minutes after the intervention with the experimental group. SP-6 acupressure reduced the subjective perception of dysmenorrhea.

Hemodynamics in Nailfold Capillaries of Patients with Systemic Scleroderma: Synchronous Measurements of Capillary Blood Pressure and Red Blood Cell Velocity

There is increasing evidence that endothelial damage occurs at a very early stage during the course of systemic scleroderma. Endothelial damage is accompanied by impaired microvascular function, which has clearly failed in patients with systemic scleroderma, as evidenced by necrosis of the fingertips in severe cases. We investigated two important determinants of microvascular function, namely capillary blood pressure and capillary red blood cell velocity, simultaneously in the same capillary. In patients with systemic scleroderma and in healthy volunteers matched for age and sex, capillary blood pressure was measured by direct cannulation and capillary red blood cell velocity by video microscopy. Capillary blood pressure and capillary red blood cell velocity were significantly lower in patients (14.27 +/- 4.34 mmHg, 230 +/- 310 microm per s) than in healthy controls (19.06 +/- 3.69 mmHg, p < 0.008, and 910 +/- 240 microm per s, p < 0.003) at an ambient temperature of 22 degrees C, whereas no significant difference in skin temperature was observed (23.7 +/- 0.9 degrees C vs 24.7 +/- 1.9 degrees C) and no occlusion of finger arteries was detected. Capillary blood pressure in enlarged capillaries did not differ from that in normal-shaped capillaries in the patients (correlation of diameter and capillary blood pressure, R2 = 0.04), which was also the case with capillary red blood cell velocity (R2 = 0.13). Capillary pulse pressure amplitude and capillary red blood cell velocity showed a strong correlation (R2 = 0.81), suggesting that the pressure gradient across the capillary loop, which is the driving force for capillary red blood cell velocity, was mainly dependent on precapillary resistance. These observations reflect the inadequate microvascular function in systemic scleroderma, which may be due mainly to a pathophysiologic functional increase in precapillary resistance, even at comfortable ambient temperatures.

Hand Skin Temperature Variations for Work in Moderately Cold Environments and the Effectiveness of Periodic Rewarming

An investigation of skin surface temperature variations under actual work conditions for four locations on the hand studied the utility of hot water immersion sinks for restoring heat to the hands during exposure to moderately cold temperatures in a food processing plant. Hand skin temperature was recorded for 15 subjects in 2 jobs with an ambient temperature of 13.3 degrees C (56 degrees F) and 1 job with an ambient temperature of 23.9 degrees C (75 degrees F). Averaged over all jobs, the mean temperature for the dorsal and palmar third finger was 17.7 degrees C (63.9 degrees F), which was significantly (p < 0.01) cooler than the mean dorsal and palmar hand temperature of 28.9 degrees C (84.0 degrees F). There was no significant difference between dorsal and palmar temperatures for either the finger or the hand (p > 0.05). In the warm environment there were no significant differences in skin temperature for any of the four hand locations (p > 0.05). An exponential model of digital warming and cooling was empirically derived using 12 subjects for predicting finger skin temperature when periodically rewarming the hands using a hot water immersion sink. The dorsal and palmar finger had a mean time constant of 151 sec for warming during immersion, 640 sec for initial cooling after a 15- to 30-min rest break at room temperature, and 198 sec for cooling after rewarming in the hot sink. The sink did not appreciably raise minimum finger skin temperature after subjects rewarmed the hands for as long as 2 min and then worked for more than 10 min without a rewarming session.

The role of nailbed vasospasm in Crohn's disease

Local cooling of the nailfold capillaries produces a typical blood flow stop reaction in patients with Raynaud's phenomenon. We applied the same test to 35 patients with Crohn's disease and compared the results with the findings in a control group of 35 healthy subjects matched for age and sex by nailfold videomicroscopy. We found a flow stop with cold exposure in 27 of the 35 patients with Crohn's disease (mean duration 38 s) in contrast to 2 of the 35 control subjects only (mean duration 12 s). There was no significant difference in skin temperature between the two groups. Intravital microscopy of nailfold capillaries revealed an evident reduction of the capillary density (p = 0.001) and crest diameter of the capillary loop (p = 0.02) compared to normal subjects. The strong association of a vasoconstrictive reaction in finger microcirculation in patients with Crohn's disease suggests a vasospastic tendency in this disorder that might manifest in the mesenteric capillaries also. This new finding of microcirculatory disturbance may play a role in the pathophysiology of Crohn's disease and be related to a general vasospastic syndrome.