抄録
In vibration disease there is the peripheral circulatory and neurological disorders of fingers. As one of the means to diagnose these disorders, vibratory sense threshold (VST) is measured.
This paper describes the difference of the VST between chain saw operators with and without vibration induced white finger (VWF), the change of the VST before and after immersion of the fingers in cold water at 10°C, and the relationship between the VST and skin temperature. The VST was measured on the right index and right middle fingers of 168 male chain saw operators for the test at frequencies of 100 and 200Hz.
The results were as follows:
1. The VST of four fingers (from index to little finger) individually and collectively was measured in 13 normal subjects. At a frequency of 100Hz, the VST in each finger was higher than that in collective four fingers, but at a frequency of 200Hz there was no difference of the VST between the two measurements.
2. The VST in the chain saw operators was higher than that in the normal subjects at frequencies of 100 and 200Hz. In the chain saw operators there was statistically significant difference of the VST between no VWF numbness group and the VWF group, or between the numbness group and the VWF group.
3. There was no statistically significant difference of the VST between index and middle fingers of the chain saw operators.
4. The VST increased with age.
5. The VST showed no change, while the experience with a chain saw prolonged.
6. The VST at a frequency of 200Hz became high, as the skin temperature became low.
7. The VST after immersion at the hand in cold water at 10°C in the VWF group was higher than that in the normal group.
