Thermography evaluation in patients with hypothyroidism and fibromyalgia by analyzing the temperatures of the palms of hands

Abstract

The objective of this work was to carry out a thermographic evaluation in patients with hypothyroidism (HP) and fibromyalgia (FM) by palms of the hands temperature analysis. The total of 136 electronic medical records of individuals belonging to a database of a thermography diagnostic clinic were selected. The inclusion criteria were: records containing anteroposterior (AP) orthostatic and AP cervical extension images; thermographic reports; male and female individuals; over 18 years old; groups with HP, FM and healthy individuals; laboratory and diagnostic reports; descriptive anamnesis of the patient´s profile and preliminary questionnaire for FM criteria. Medical records were classified into three groups: group 1, with HP and FM (50 patients); group 2, with FM but no HP (56 patients); group 3, control (30 healthy individuals). All images selected in electronic records were studied through the Flir report software, with the demarcation of three points in thyroid gland region obtaining an average of temperature and one point on each palm of the hands. Temperature data of each group were statistically analyzed by Microcal Origin 6.0 software, where the obtained results for the thermal correlation between HP and FM, for the palms of the hands, were: group 1: 31.0 ± 1.5 °C; group 2: 30.7 ± 2.0 °C; and group 3: 31.6 ± 1.4 °C. The Pearson linear correlation coefficient (ρ) was 1, meaning that the variables are correlated among themselves. It was concluded that if there is a variation in the metabolic activity of the thyroid gland in patients with FM, there is a variation in the temperature of the palms of the hands, for the groups studied.