[Evaluation of the peripheral skin sympathetic function by cooling thermography in women with climacteric complaints].
To evaluate the peripheral skin sympathetic function, cooling thermography was performed on women with climacteric complaints (CG) and without them (NG). Both hands were immersed into 4 degree C water for 1 minute ant the nail temperature of the right second finger was measured before and after the stress every 1 minute for 7 minutes. And the recovery rate was calculated. By dividing the CG groups by the 5 minute recovery rate minus the 2SD of the NG groups, there was seen to be a significant difference between the recovery patterns. One is a good recovery group (GR, N = 26) and the other is a poor recovery group (PR, N = 28). The significant difference between GR and PR groups was only recognized in the pre-cooling nail temperature. No significant difference was seen in age, Body Mass Index, Kupperman Index, symptoms, serum estradiol or serum testosterone levels. These results indicate that in about half of women with climacteric symptoms, peripheral skin sympathetic nerve function is continuously hypertensioned and the response to cooling stress is decreased. Although the reason for these results is not clear, sympathetic nerve dysfunction is supposed to be the main cause. This test is useful for evaluating peripheral skin sympathetic function.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dokkyo University School of Medicine, Tochigi.
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Ohtsuka
D000328:Adult; D002979:Climacteric / Q000502:physiology*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012867:Skin / Q000294:innervation*; D012881:Skin Temperature; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D013817:Thermography