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Hand cold stress testing among Arctic open-pit miners: a clinical study
Albin Stjernbrandt1, Hans Pettersson1, Jens Wahlström1
1Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Sweden.
Summary
Individual characteristics like age and sex significantly impact hand cold stress tolerance time and pain perception. Body mass index also influences how quickly hands rewarm after cold exposure.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Environmental Physiology
- Human Factors Engineering
Background:
- Cold stress testing (CST) is crucial for assessing hand cold tolerance.
- Individual factors may influence responses to cold exposure.
- Understanding these factors is key for accurate occupational health assessments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how sex, age, body mass index (BMI), and smoking habits affect hand CST outcomes.
- To analyze the influence of these characteristics on tolerance time, pain ratings, and rewarming time.
Main Methods:
- 153 Swedish mine workers participated in the study.
- Hand immersion in 3°C circulating water for up to 45 seconds.
- Pain ratings recorded using a visual analog scale every 5 seconds.
Main Results:
- Men exhibited longer tolerance times than women (p=0.007).
- Younger individuals (18-29 years) tolerated cold longer than older individuals (54-65 years) (p=0.005).
- Women reported higher pain ratings; higher BMI correlated with shorter rewarming times (p<0.001).
Conclusions:
- Age and sex are significant predictors of hand CST tolerance time.
- Sex influences pain perception, and BMI affects rewarming speed.
- These individual characteristics should be considered in future CST studies and occupational health evaluations.
