Pattern recognition in post-traumatic cold intolerance.

The subjective symptoms called "post-traumatic cold intolerance" were analysed in a study of 40 patients with a history of digital trauma (amputation, neurovascular laceration, or comminuted fracture requiring surgical reconstruction). The patients were individually interviewed to obtain detailed information about perception of each symptom as well as the pattern of symptoms of post-traumatic cold intolerance. The study confirmed the high incidence of the condition and its potentially disabling nature. Although the individual symptoms described by the patients have a limited number of categories, the subjective expression of cold intolerance is too varied to allow an adequate definition or assessment to be based on any single symptom or group of symptoms.