title: Morphologic classification of nailfold capillary microscopy in workers exposed to hand-arm vibration.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the morphologic classification of nailfold capillary microscopy and the clinical and demographic findings in workers exposed to hand-arm vibration. The subjects were 44 male forestry workers (average age; 51.9 ± 14.8 yr). The nailfold capillaries (NC) and the mean blood flow velocity were measured on the middle finger of the dominant side by a peripheral capillary observer. The analyses were made using 39 subjects after excluding five subjects who received medication for hypertension. The observed NC were classified into 5 types according to Kusumoto's classification: Type I, n=5; Type II, n=15; Type III, n=8; Type IV, n=5; and Type V, n=6. After excluding the subjects in the Type V, we divided the subjects into two groups: Type I/II group, n=20; and Type III/IV group, n=13. In the Type III/IV group, the operating year of handheld vibrating tools was relatively longer, the mean blood flow velocity was significantly slower, and the body mass index was relatively higher as compared to the Type I/II group. These results suggested that the nailfold capillary microscopy may reflect the effect of the vibration exposure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene, School of Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, Japan. sakaguti@kansai.ac.jp
authors.forename: Shunji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sakaguchi
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Miyai
authors.forename: Shigeki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takemura
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fukumoto
authors.forename: Taro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tomura
authors.forename: Maki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shiozaki
authors.forename: Shigeki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kurasawa
authors.forename: Katsushi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yokoi
authors.forename: Kazufumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Terada
authors.forename: Kouichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshimasu
authors.forename: Kazuhisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miyashita
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002196:Capillaries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D053421:Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009262:Nails / Q000098:blood supply*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors