Cold hypersensitivity 6 to 10 years after replantation or revascularisation of fingers: consequences for work and leisure activities.
We investigated cold hypersensitivity and activity in 81 adults (male/female 76/5), 6 to 10 years after finger replantation/revascularisation (mean age at injury 43 (SD 15) years). Questionnaires included the McCabe Cold Sensitivity Severity Scale, Potential Work-Exposure Scale and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score. Eighty per cent of the respondents were cold hypersensitive; 20% were severely or extremely cold hypersensitive. Of the 74 patients employed at injury, 7% had changed work and 4% were not working due to cold hypersensitivity. The median score for cold exposure at work at follow-up was 153 (scale 0-300). The correlation between cold sensitivity and DASH work was low. One-third of the respondents experienced limitations in their leisure activities because of cold complaints. Long-term cold sensitivity was mild or moderate for most patients. Many cold hypersensitive patients managed to continue to work even under cold conditions and cold hypersensitivity was a greater problem in leisure activities.
Vaksvik
T
T
Rikshospitalet University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. tone.vaksvik@rikshospitalet.no
Hetland
K
K
Røkkum
M
M
Holm
I
I
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000673:Amputation, Traumatic / Q000601:surgery*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005383:Finger Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D005385:Fingers / Q000098:blood supply*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006941:Hyperesthesia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D007511:Ischemia / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017288:Pain Threshold; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012092:Replantation; D012307:Risk Factors