Study on validity of thermal detection thresholds as an examination for evaluating vibration-induced neurophthy

温度阈值和痛阈值被认为反映了Aβ有髓纤维和C无髓纤维的功能，而振动触觉阈值则被认为反映了Aβ有髓纤维的功能。因此，本研究调查了温度阈值测量用于评估振动诱发神经病变的有效性以及合适的测试条件。手-臂振动综合征患者手指蠕动和冷热阈值较健康对照组明显受损，且随周围神经损害程度加重而加重。痛觉阈值与痛觉阈值显著相关。此外，检测神经损害的特异性好于痛阈值。这些发现表明，温度阈值测量是评估振动诱发神经病变的一种有用的测试，并且可以替代痛阈值测量。适宜的试验条件为：试验板温度变化率为1.0ﾟC/S，手指对试验板的压力为0.5N，受试者手臂支撑。

Thermal thresholds as well as pain thresholds are expected to reflect the function of A delta myelinated fibers and C unmyelinated fibers, while vibrotactile thresholds are supposed to reflect the function of A beta myelinated fibers. Hence, the present study investigated the validity of thermal threshold measurements for evaluating vibration-induced neuropathy and also suitable test conditions. Worm and cold thermal thresholds of the finger were significantly damaged in patients with hand-arm vibration syndrome compared with healthy controls, and they tended to be worse with progress of peripheral nerve impairments. The thresholds were significantly correlated with pain thresholds. Additionally the specificity for detecting nerve damages was better than that of pain thresholds. These findings indicate that thermal threshold measurement is a useful test for evaluating vibration-induced neuropathy and can be an alternative to pain threshold measurement. And suitable test conditions need changing rate of test plate temperature at 1.0 ﾟC/s, press force of finger on the plate at 0.5 N, and a support of subject's arm.