[Neuropathies caused by vibrating instruments: clinico-diagnostic study of a group of symptomatic subjects]

In order to evaluate the risk connected with hand-arm vibration exposure and associated disorders of the peripheral nervous system a study was made to assess the relationship between nervous symptoms and laboratory data to determine the kind of disorder. 40 male subjects with hand-arm vibration exposure for more than 5 years and nervous symptoms of the hands for more than 1 year and 2 control groups of non-symptomatic non-exposed subjects were considered. An electroneurophysiological study of the exposed subjects revealed 18 nerve conduction speed changes (12 median nerve, 4 ulnar nerve, 2 median and ulnar nerve), most of which were sensitivity-motor changes; only 9 Carpal Tunnel Syndromes were diagnosed. Some statistically significant differences between exposed subjects with negative results of the electroneurophysiological study and non-exposed subjects were observed. Prolonged vibration exposure seems to induce a hand-arm nerve suffering, initially with a progressive nerve conduction speed change and non-specific symptoms, but subsequently a peripheral nervous system disorder associated or not to a Carpal Tunnel Syndrome may occur.