title: Finger cooling test and psychometric analysis in thyroid auxiliary diagnostics.
abstract: Hypothyroidism is a fairly common disease. The signs and symptoms of thyroid hormone deficiency are non-specific and under certain conditions its diagnosis may be rather difficult. The aim of the study was to make an analytic comparison of several psychometric indices with rheological parameters of extremity microcirculation in patients with subclinical or overt hypothyroidism and in healthy controls. Serum levels of thyrotropin and of free thyroxine were measured. A psychometric analysis was carried out using the Mittenecker and Thoman test. The finger cooling test evaluated by eye verification and the systolic-diastolic index (SDI) was determined by means of planimetric photoplethysmography. An increase in SDI was found in the patients with subclinical and overt hypothyroidism, correlating with psychometric indices and hormonal levels. The results obtained indicate that an evaluation of theological parameters of the finger cooling test and psychometric parameters may be very useful in the auxiliary screening of hypothyroidism.
authors.affiliation: Computer Science Department, University of Silesia, Sosnowiec, Poland. Andrzej.107483@pharmanet.com.pl
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dyszkiewicz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003080:Cold Temperature; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000098:blood supply / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017156:Photoplethysmography / Q000379:methods*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000503:physiopathology