OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the suitability of using mean dorsal (hand) skin temperature (MDT) before and after a short typing task as an indicator of upper extremity musculoskeletal disorder (UEMSD) severity. In addition, MDT reproducibility in controls was assessed for a pre-typing and three post-typing time periods over three trials. METHODS: Asymptomatic office workers (n = 10) and office workers with distal UEMSD symptoms (n = 35) typed for 9 min at three ambient temperatures (18, 22, and 26 degrees C). Pre- and post-trial MDT was measured by infrared thermography. UEMSD severity was defined anamnestically by symptoms and by a physical examination and symptom-derived case definition. RESULTS: Good to excellent reproducibility (intra-class correlation coefficients = 0.46-0.85) for MDT was found in controls at 22 degrees C. At 18 and 22 degrees C, pre-typing MDT differed between controls and cases by number of symptom sites marked on a hand-arm diagram (ANOVA, P <or= 0.05), and by number of UEMSD case definitions met (ANOVA, P <or= 0.05). Post hoc analyses showed colder temperatures in the most severely affected cases in comparison with controls. No post-typing skin temperature differentiation by severity was found. CONCLUSION: Reduced dorsal hand skin temperature after acclimating to an ambient temperature of 18-22 degrees C in those with more severe UEMSDs may reflect an underlying dysfunctional sympathetic nervous system. Further testing in epidemiological cohorts would be desirable to evaluate the generalizability and feasibility of this physiological measurement for UEMSD severity in the workplace.
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the suitability of using mean dorsal (hand) skin temperature (MDT) before and after a short typing task as an indicator of upper extremity musculoskeletal disorder (UEMSD) severity. In addition, MDT reproducibility in controls was assessed for a pre-typing and three post-typing time periods over three trials. METHODS: Asymptomatic office workers (n = 10) and office workers with distal UEMSD symptoms (n = 35) typed for 9 min at three ambient temperatures (18, 22, and 26 degrees C). Pre- and post-trial MDT was measured by infrared thermography. UEMSD severity was defined anamnestically by symptoms and by a physical examination and symptom-derived case definition. RESULTS: Good to excellent reproducibility (intra-class correlation coefficients = 0.46-0.85) for MDT was found in controls at 22 degrees C. At 18 and 22 degrees C, pre-typing MDT differed between controls and cases by number of symptom sites marked on a hand-arm diagram (ANOVA, P <or= 0.05), and by number of UEMSD case definitions met (ANOVA, P <or= 0.05). Post hoc analyses showed colder temperatures in the most severely affected cases in comparison with controls. No post-typing skin temperature differentiation by severity was found. CONCLUSION: Reduced dorsal hand skin temperature after acclimating to an ambient temperature of 18-22 degrees C in those with more severe UEMSDs may reflect an underlying dysfunctional sympathetic nervous system. Further testing in epidemiological cohorts would be desirable to evaluate the generalizability and feasibility of this physiological measurement for UEMSD severity in the workplace.
Authors: H Warashina; Y Hasegawa; H Tsuchiya; S Kitamura; K-I Yamauchi; Y Torii; M Kawasaki; S Sakano Journal: Ann Rheum Dis Date: 2002-09 Impact factor: 19.103
Authors: Martin Cherniack; Anthony J Brammer; Ronnie Lundstrom; John D Meyer; Tim F Morse; Greg Neely; Tohr Nilsson; Donald Peterson; Esko Toppila; Nicholas Warren Journal: J Occup Environ Med Date: 2007-03 Impact factor: 2.162
Authors: Fredric Gerr; Michele Marcus; Cindy Ensor; David Kleinbaum; Susan Cohen; Alicia Edwards; Eileen Gentry; Daniel J Ortiz; Carolyn Monteilh Journal: Am J Ind Med Date: 2002-04 Impact factor: 2.214
Authors: Alejandra García Becerra; Jesús Everardo Olguín-Tiznado; Jorge Luis García Alcaraz; Claudia Camargo Wilson; Blanca Rosa García-Rivera; Ricardo Vardasca; Juan Andres López-Barreras Journal: PLoS One Date: 2021-05-12 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Adriana Seára Tirloni; Diogo Cunha Dos Reis; Eliane Ramos; Antônio Renato Pereira Moro Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2017-07-26 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Adriana Seára Tirloni; Diogo Cunha Dos Reis; Natália Fonseca Dias; Antônio Renato Pereira Moro Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2018-11-19 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Alejandra García Becerra; Jesús Everardo Olguín Tiznado; Jorge Luis García Alcaraz; Claudia Camargo Wilson; Juan Andrés López Barreras; Julio Cesar Cano Gutiérrez; Rosa Blanca Garcia-Rivera Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-08-18 Impact factor: 4.614
Authors: Jelena Reste; Tija Zvagule; Natalja Kurjane; Zanna Martinsone; Inese Martinsone; Anita Seile; Ivars Vanadzins Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2015-08-07 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: André Luiz Soares; Antonio Augusto de Paula Xavier; Ariel Orlei Michaloski Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2020-05-13 Impact factor: 3.390