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Assessment of two alternative standardised tests for the vascular components of the hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS)

Assessment of two alternative standardised tests for the vascular components of the hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS)
Assessment of two alternative standardised tests for the vascular components of the hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS)

Background: Vibration-induced white finger (VWF) is the vascular component of the hand–arm vibration syndrome (HAVS). Two tests have been standardised so as to assist the diagnosis of VWF: the measurement of finger rewarming times and the measurement of finger systolic blood pressures (FSBPs).

Objectives: This study investigates whether the two tests distinguish between fingers with and without symptoms of whiteness and compares individual results between the two test methods.Methods In 60 men reporting symptoms of the HAVS, the times for their fingers to rewarm by 4°C (after immersion in 15°C water for 5 min) and FSBPs at 30°C, 15°C and 10°C were measured on the same day.

Results: There were significant increases in finger rewarming times and significant reductions in FSBPs at both 15°C and 10°C in fingers reported to suffer blanching. The FSBPs had sensitivities and specificities >90%, whereas the finger rewarming test had a sensitivity of 77% and a specificity of 79%. Fingers having longer rewarming times had lower FSBPs at both temperatures.

Conclusions: The findings suggest that, when the test conditions are controlled according to the relevant standard, finger rewarming times and FSBPs can provide useful information for the diagnosis of VWF, although FSBPs are more sensitive and more specific.

701-708
Ye, Ying
5cfc9fff-c24f-4e7c-8a97-c78436d79966
Griffin, Michael J.
24112494-9774-40cb-91b7-5b4afe3c41b8
Ye, Ying
5cfc9fff-c24f-4e7c-8a97-c78436d79966
Griffin, Michael J.
24112494-9774-40cb-91b7-5b4afe3c41b8

Ye, Ying and Griffin, Michael J. (2016) Assessment of two alternative standardised tests for the vascular components of the hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS). Occupational & Environmental Medicine, 73 (10), 701-708. (doi:10.1136/oemed-2016-103688).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Background: Vibration-induced white finger (VWF) is the vascular component of the hand–arm vibration syndrome (HAVS). Two tests have been standardised so as to assist the diagnosis of VWF: the measurement of finger rewarming times and the measurement of finger systolic blood pressures (FSBPs).

Objectives: This study investigates whether the two tests distinguish between fingers with and without symptoms of whiteness and compares individual results between the two test methods.Methods In 60 men reporting symptoms of the HAVS, the times for their fingers to rewarm by 4°C (after immersion in 15°C water for 5 min) and FSBPs at 30°C, 15°C and 10°C were measured on the same day.

Results: There were significant increases in finger rewarming times and significant reductions in FSBPs at both 15°C and 10°C in fingers reported to suffer blanching. The FSBPs had sensitivities and specificities >90%, whereas the finger rewarming test had a sensitivity of 77% and a specificity of 79%. Fingers having longer rewarming times had lower FSBPs at both temperatures.

Conclusions: The findings suggest that, when the test conditions are controlled according to the relevant standard, finger rewarming times and FSBPs can provide useful information for the diagnosis of VWF, although FSBPs are more sensitive and more specific.

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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 10 July 2016
e-pub ahead of print date: 17 August 2016
Published date: October 2016
Organisations: Human Sciences Group, Inst. Sound & Vibration Research

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 406437
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/406437
PURE UUID: 360528ca-203d-4b3e-8a77-3d52702bd4f1
ORCID for Ying Ye: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-7721-5451
ORCID for Michael J. Griffin: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-0743-9502

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Date deposited: 10 Mar 2017 10:47
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 03:57

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Author: Ying Ye ORCID iD
Author: Michael J. Griffin ORCID iD

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