The Effects of Age and Sex on Peripheral Cold Tolerance Observed from the Digital Vascular Hunting Reaction to Cold Water and the Occurrence of Chilblain

Abstract

The changes of peripheral cold tolerance with respect to age and sex were examined by the digital vascular hunting reaction to cold water and the frequencies of chilblain. A total of 170 subjects of both sexes in 5 different age groups, ie 4-5 years, 10-11 years, 13-14 years, 16-17 years and the aged participated in the hunting reaction test. They immersed their forefinger into cold water controlled at 5°C for 12 or 15 min. The skin temperature of the finger tip was continuously measured using a thermistor thermometer before, during and after the immersion. The skin temperature at the first rise (TFR), the time of skin temperature rise (TTR), the highest skin temperature (HST) and the amplitude of skin temperature change (AT) were compared among different age groups and sex. The hunting reactions were inferior in the 10-11 and 13-14 years groups among males and in the 10-11, 13-14, 15-16 years among females. Sex difference in the hunting reaction was found only in 15-16 years group.
The frequency of occurrence of chilblain was investigated by questionaires at age of 4-5, 7-8, 10-11, 13-14 and 16-17 years. The occurrence of chilblain significantly increased from about 30 to 60% between age 4-5 and 7-8 years in both sexes. This rate decreased after 7-8 years old among boys but not among girls. Sex difference was detected among those 13-14 and 16-17 years old. The tendency of the occurrence of chilblain in relation to age and sex were similar to that of the cold hunting reaction. From these results, it was suggested that the peripheral cold tolerance might be influenced by the factors of both growth and sex.