Neurovascular hand symptoms in relation to cold exposure in northern Sweden: a population-based study
Stjernbrandt A, Björ B, Andersson M, Burström L, Liljelind I, Nilsson T, Lundström R, Wahlström J
International archives of occupational and environmental health · 27 citations
How it was studied
- Design
- Cross-sectional study (classified by our AI screen)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- University or hospital
- Umeå Universitet
Based on 1 listed funder(s) and full-text disclosure statement.
Publication
- Published
- 2017-04-11 · Int Arch Occup Environ Health · vol. 90 · issue 7 · pp. 587–595
- Publisher
- Springer Science+Business Media
- Cited
- 35 citations · more than 74% of similar papers · 1.0× the field average
- References
- 30 works
- Access
- Open access (hybrid journal) · CC-BY
- Research areas
- Thermal Regulation in Medicine · Climate Change and Health Impacts · Thermoregulation and physiological responses
- Keywords
- Medicine, Frostbite, Cold sensitivity, Neurovascular bundle, Extreme Cold, Population, Environmental health, Prospective cohort study, Demography, Surgery
- MeSH
- hand, humans, raynaud disease, frostbite, smoking, cold climate, environmental exposure, occupational exposure, comorbidity, age distribution, health status, residence characteristics, sex distribution, leisure activities, adolescent, adult, aged, middle aged, arctic regions, sweden, female, male, young adult, cold injury
8 authors
From SE
- Albin Stjernbrandt · correspondingUmeå University
- Bodil BjörUniversity Hospital of Umeå; Umeå University
- Martin AnderssonUniversity Hospital of Umeå; Umeå University
- Lage BurströmUmeå University
- Ingrid LiljelindUniversity Hospital of Umeå; Umeå University
- Tohr NilssonUmeå University
Abstract
Purpose
To describe the self-reported ambient cold exposure in northern Sweden and to relate the level of cumulative cold exposure to the occurrence of sensory and vascular hand symptoms. We hypothesize that cold exposure is positively related to reporting such symptoms.
Methods
A questionnaire about cold exposure and related symptoms was sent out to 35,144 subjects aged 18-70 years and living in northern Sweden.
Results
A total of 12,627 out of 35,144 subjects returned the questionnaire (response rate 35.9%). Subjects living in the rural alpine areas reported more extensive cold exposure both during work and leisure time compared to the urbanized coastal regions. Frostbite in the hands was present in 11.4% of men and 7.1% of women, cold sensitivity was present in 9.7 and 14.4%, and Raynaud's phenomenon was present in 11.0% of men and 14.0% of women. There was a positive association between cumulative cold exposure and neurovascular hand symptoms.
Conclusion
The present study demonstrates that the cold environment in northern Sweden might be an underestimated health risk. Our hypothesis that cold exposure is positively related to reporting of neurovascular hand symptoms was supported by our findings. In addition, such symptoms were common not only in conjunction with an overt cold injury. Our results warrant further study on pathophysiological mechanisms and suggest the need for confirmatory prevalence studies to support national public health planning.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher (CC BY).
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