Response patterns in finger and central body skin temperatures under mild whole body cooling
Author
Editor
- Stylianos Kounalakis
- Maria Koskolou
Summary, in English
INTRODUCTION
The actual heat loss may be underestimated especially in studies employing mild whole-body cooling, if AVA-rich distal areas are not taken into account. In the present report, we illustrate the skin temperature response pattern in fingers (rich in AVAs) to transient whole-body cooling as compared to non-acral body sites (without AVAs).
METHODS
Eight men participated in the study. During the test the subjects were dressed in shorts, socks and shoes and stayed seated with the arms on insulated supports at heart level. The air temperature of 32 °C was after 25 minutes gradually reduced to 13 °C (0.2 °C/min). Core, finger (sulcus lateral to the nailbed) and non-acral skin (8 points) temperatures were measured.
RESULTS
During cooling the mean skin temperature in all subjects decreased at a similar rate. Higher variation in the end of the cooling could be explained by differences in body fat (R2=0.902). Simultaneously, the finger cooling could start with up to about 1 hour difference in different subjects.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
Mean skin temperature did not give any idea on when the subjects left thermal neutrality. It is strongly recommended to measure finger (or toe) temperatures when maintaining the thermal comfort of the subjects in dynamic conditions is important.
The actual heat loss may be underestimated especially in studies employing mild whole-body cooling, if AVA-rich distal areas are not taken into account. In the present report, we illustrate the skin temperature response pattern in fingers (rich in AVAs) to transient whole-body cooling as compared to non-acral body sites (without AVAs).
METHODS
Eight men participated in the study. During the test the subjects were dressed in shorts, socks and shoes and stayed seated with the arms on insulated supports at heart level. The air temperature of 32 °C was after 25 minutes gradually reduced to 13 °C (0.2 °C/min). Core, finger (sulcus lateral to the nailbed) and non-acral skin (8 points) temperatures were measured.
RESULTS
During cooling the mean skin temperature in all subjects decreased at a similar rate. Higher variation in the end of the cooling could be explained by differences in body fat (R2=0.902). Simultaneously, the finger cooling could start with up to about 1 hour difference in different subjects.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
Mean skin temperature did not give any idea on when the subjects left thermal neutrality. It is strongly recommended to measure finger (or toe) temperatures when maintaining the thermal comfort of the subjects in dynamic conditions is important.
Department/s
Publishing year
2011
Language
English
Pages
124-127
Publication/Series
Environmental Ergonomics
Volume
XIV
Document type
Conference paper
Publisher
National and Kapodestrian University of Athens
Topic
- Production Engineering, Human Work Science and Ergonomics
Conference name
XIV International Conference on Environmental Ergonomics
Conference date
2011-07-10 - 2011-07-15
Conference place
Nafplio, Greece
Status
Published
Research group
- Thermal Environment Laboratory