Reliability of a vibration test in screening for predisposition to tenosynovitis.

The reliability of a vibration test has been studied in terms of its feasibility for screening for predisposition to tenosynovitis in an occupational health setting. In a worker population with a high prevalence of tenosynovitis the specificity and sensitivity of the method in the best cases were 68% and 50%, respectively. In an apparently healthy population there were significant interindividual differences; but in successive trials the same individual could have index values indicating both a predisposition and a lack of predisposition for tenosynovitis. The index value seems to be dependent on the temperature of the test room. It was concluded, in contrast to earlier results, that the vibration test is, of no value in screening for a predisposition to tenosynovitis in an occupational health setting.