International journal of occupational medicine and environmental health
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Int J Occup Med Environ Health · Jan 1998
Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical TrialEfficacy of vibration, electric current and thermal perception tests in diagnosis of hand-arm vibration syndrome.
Vibration perception test is usually proposed as a useful tool for quantitative assessment of neurological disturbances induced by hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS). The increased mean vibration perception threshold (VPT) is an early manifestation of this syndrome. However, we have identified a group of exposed subjects with normal VPT who showed electric current and/or thermal sensitivity impairment. ⋯ The thermal perception was diminished in subjects working for a longer period of time, but there was no relationship between intensity of disorders and the duration of exposure. In an early stage of hand-arm vibration syndrome (prevention of HAVS) the use of three tests helps to identify a larger number of workers at risk who should undergo thorough diagnostic examinations. In our study the proportion of identified workers increased from 27% (32 subjects with vibration sensory impairment) to 45% (53 persons with disorders detected in one, two or even three tests).