Blood biomarkers for vibration-induced white fingers. A case-comparison study

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Biomarkers
• Vascular Medicine

Background:

• Vibration induced white fingers (VWF) is a type of secondary Raynaud's phenomenon (RP).
• VWF affects workers exposed to excessive vibration.
• Identifying reliable biomarkers for VWF is crucial for diagnosis and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate potential biomarkers for VWF in vibration-exposed workers.
• To evaluate the diagnostic usefulness of specific substances in identifying Raynaud's phenomenon related to vibration.

Main Methods:

• Blood samples were collected from vibration-exposed workers with and without RP before and after a cold challenge.
• Concentrations of von Willebrand factor (vWf), thrombomodulin (TM), serotonin (SER), and endothelin-1 (ET1) were measured.
• The diagnostic utility of these substances for ruling in RP was assessed.

Main Results:

• Workers with VWF showed significantly lower vWf concentrations both before and after cold exposure.
• A significant increase in ET1 and a decrease in TM were observed after cold exposure in VWF cases.
• The diagnostic usefulness of vWf for identifying true VWF cases was found to be 35%.

Conclusions:

• vWf, TM, SER, and ET1 are suggested as potential biomarkers for VWF.
• vWf demonstrates a 35% likelihood of defining a true case in the diagnosis of vibration-related RP.
• Further research is needed to validate these biomarkers for VWF diagnosis.