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Medial plantar nerve conduction velocities among patients with vibration syndrome due to rock-drill work
Mamoru Hiratai1, Hisataka Sakakibara, Norikuni Toibana
1Department of Hazard Assessment, National Institute of Industrial Health, Nagao 6-21-1, Tama-ku, Kawasaki 214-8585, Japan.
Objective:
The present study was aimed at clarifying the effect of vibration syndrome (VS) on the peripheral nervous system in the lower extremities of patients with VS due to rock-drill work.
Methods:
Fifty-three patients with VS due to previous exposure to vibration from rock-drilling work and 55 age-matched controls were examined for sensory nerve conduction velocities in the medial plantar nerve (SCV-P). The patient group was divided into three subgroups, outdoor rock-drill workers with vibration-induced white finger (VWF) (N = 10), tunnel workers with VWF (N = 27) and tunnel workers without VWF (N = 16).
Results:
ANOVA of SCV-P for the four groups showed F = 3.23 (dF = 3, 104, p = 0.0253). A significant difference was found between the controls and outdoor rock-drill workers with VWF group (p = 0.0261) by multiple comparison using Scheffe's method.
Conclusion:
These findings suggest that peripheral nervous system function in the lower extremities of patient with VS is affected by cold exposure and circulatory disturbance manifested as VWF.
