Raynaud's Phenomenon in Vibration Syndrome: The Impact of Cold Feet on Skin Temperature and Vasomotion of the Hand After Immersion in Cold Water

Abstract

Patients with vibration syndrome, suffering from Raynaud's phenomenon, are sensitive to cold. Rewarming time, after local cooling, is delayed. The present study evaluated whether rewarming of the hand after cooling is influenced by the temperature of the feet. In five Japanese patients (former forest workers) with vibration syndrome, suffering from Raynaud's phenomenon, and in five healthy controls, temperature changes of the hand after cooling were registered under the two test situations (on different days) with the feet immersed in water of 35°C or 20°C, respectively. In both patients and controls (in both groups, in four of five cases) rewarming of the hand after cooling was faster when the feet were immersed in cold water, compared with when the feet were immersed in warm water. In this test situation, the systemic thermoregulative counterreaction appears to be more important for rewarming of the hand after cooling than a possible synchro nous passive reaction accompanying warming of the feet. A deliberate training of the systemic counterreaction may prove beneficial for patients with Raynaud's phenomenon.