OBJECTIVES—To assess the risk of disturbed thermal perception relative to exposure to vibration, to investigate a possible exposure-response relation and to analyse a possible relation between thermal perception and sensory symptoms. METHODS—The study was based on a cross section of 123 male workers exposed to vibration and 62 male workers who were not exposed. Thermal perception of cold, warmth, and heat pain was bilaterally determined from the thenar eminence by the method of limits. Perception of cold and warmth were also tested in the second digit. Personal energy equivalent exposure to vibration was measured for all subjects. Vibration was measured in accordance with International Standards Organisation (ISO) 5349 and assessed separately for the left and right hand. RESULTS—Combining exposure times and intensities gave the left hand an 0.80 exposure to vibration compared with the right. The risk of having contracted reduced thermal perception was increased at all test sites. The risk was higher for the thenar measurements than the finger measurements. A yearly extra contribution of 4000mh/s2 in cumulative exposure increases the risk of contracting a wider neutral zone by 18% (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.06 to 1.32) for the right and 18% (1.05 to 1.32) for the left hand side. Subjects with symptoms of nocturnal paraesthesia had a rate ratio (95% CI) of 2.80 (1.17 to 6.67) for the right hand and 2.72 (1.12to 6.63) for the left hand for increased neutral zones at the thenar eminence. CONCLUSIONS—The results indicate thermal sensory impairment related to cumulative exposure to vibration. The effect appeared at vibration levels below the current guiding standard. Quantitative sensory testing of thermal perception offers the chance to assess this specific hazard to the peripheral sensorineural system associated with hand intensive work entailing vibration.
>Keywords: quantitative thermal perception; heat pain; vibration; temperature threshold
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机译：目的-评估相对于振动暴露的热感知受干扰的风险，调查可能的暴露-反应关系，并分析热感知与感官症状之间的可能关系。 方法-该研究基于交叉123位暴露在振动中的男性工人和62位未暴露于振动中的男性工人。寒冷，温暖和热痛的热感是通过极限方法从双侧突出处双向确定的。第二个数字还测试了对寒冷和温暖的感知。对所有受试者测量相当于振动的个人能量暴露量。振动是根据国际标准组织（ISO）5349进行测量的，并且分别针对左手和右手进行了评估。 结果-曝光时间和强度相结合，使左手与右手的暴露量为0.80。在所有测试部位，都有降低的热感知收缩的风险。相对于手指测量，测量纳那尔的风险更高。每年在累积暴露中额外增加4000 mh / s 2 的风险，使中性区收缩的风险增加18％（95％置信区间（95％CI）1.06）右侧为1.32），左侧为18％（1.05至1.32）。具有夜间感觉异常症状的受试者，右手的比率（95％CI）为2.80（1.17对6.67），左手的比率为2.72（1.12 对6.63）。阴茎隆起。 结论—结果表明与累积的振动暴露有关的热感觉障碍。这种影响出现在低于当前指导标准的振动水平上。热感知的定量感官测试提供了评估与手部密集工作相关的对周围神经系统的特定危害的机会，这会引起振动。
