Infrared thermometry in the diagnosis of hand-arm vibration syndrome

Abstract

Background: Clinicians need an accurate diagnostic test for hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS). Aims To validate a simple thermometric method to diagnose HAVS-related Raynaud's phenomenon. Methods: Fifteen workers with photographically confirmed HAVS-related Raynaud's phenomenon were compared to controls without Raynaud's phenomenon and an occupational history of hand-arm vibration exposure. Digit temperatures were measured using an infrared thermometer before and after immersion in 5°c water for 1 min. Results: The HAVS patients differed significantly from the controls in terms of baseline temperature, rewarming time and rate. The fingertip-base temperature gradient was more commonly positive among the controls. Conclusions: The test method evaluated in this study is simple, cheap and accurate. If the pre-test probability is at least 35%, the best test variable to confirm the diagnosis of HAVS-related Raynaud's phenomenon is the time to rewarm to baseline of the first three fingertips providing the interval is ≥8-9 min. © The Author 2010. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine.