Abstract
Objective
The present study aimed to clarify the range of involvement for hand-arm vibration syndrome (VS) in the median, ulnar and radial nerves of the hand.
Methods
Sensory nerve conduction velocities (SCVs) for 3 nerves in the hands and arms were examined for 34 patients with VS and 23 age-matched controls. Neuropathy types were classified by possible carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), Guyon’s syndrome and digital neuropathy in three nerves.
Results
SCV in the median nerve (middle finger, wrist–elbow) and ulnar nerve (little finger, wrist–elbow), and amplitudes of the median nerve (wrist–proximal and distal parts of the middle finger), ulnar nerve (wrist–proximal and distal parts of the little finger; forearm–proximal part of the little finger; upper arm–proximal part of the little finger) and radial nerve (dorsal side of the hand–thumb) were significantly reduced in VS patients compared with controls. According to subject classifications based on the results of SCV and amplitude of nerve action potential, 52.9% of VS patients displayed multi-focal neuropathy including digital neuropathy, possible CTS and/or Guyon’s syndrome.
Conclusion
These findings suggest that VS affects all three nerves in the hand. According to classification results, the main disorders of peripheral nerves comprise digital neuropathy.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alaranta H, Seppäläinen AM (1977) Neuropathy and the automatic analysis of electromyographic signals from vibration-exposed workers. Scand J Work Environ Health 3:128–134
Bovenzi M, Giannini F, Rossi S (2000) Vibration-induced multifocal neuropathy in forestry workers: electrophysiological findings in relation to vibration exposure and finger circulation. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 73:519–527
Brammer AJ, Taylor W, Lundborg G (1987) Sensorineural stages of the hand-arm vibration syndrome. Scand J Work Environ Health 13:279–283
Chatterjee DS, Barwick DD, Petrie A (1982) Exploratory electromyography in the study of vibration-induced white finger in rock drillers. Brit J Ind Med 39:89–97
Cherniack M. Brammer AJ, Lundstrom R, Meyer J, Morse TF, Nealy G, Nilsson T, Peterson D, Toppila E, Warren N, Fu RW, Bruneau H (2004) Segmental conduction velocity in vibration-exposed shipyard workers. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 77:159–176
de Jesus PV, Hausmanowa-Petrusewicz I, Barchi RL (1973) The effect of cold on nerve conduction of human slow and fast nerve fibers. Neurol 23:1182–1189
Färkkilä M, Pyykkö I, Jantti V, Aatola V, Starck J, Korhonen O (1988) Forestry workers exposed to vibration: a neurological study. Br J Ind Med 45:188–192
Futatsuka (1983) Classification of vibration disease in Japan. J Low Freq Noise Vib (Special volume):42–46
Gemne G, Pyykkö I, Taylor W, Pelmear PL (1987) The Stockholm Workshop scale for the classification of cold-induced Raynaud’s phenomenon in the hand-arm vibration syndrome (revision of the Taylor-Pelmear scale). Scand J Work Environ Health 13:275–278
Giannini F, Rossi S, Passero S, Bovenzi M, Cannava G, Mancini R, Cioni R, Battistini N (1999) Multifocal neural conduction impairment in forestry workers exposed and not exposed to vibration. Clin Neurophysiol 110:1276–1283
Hirata M, Sakakibara H, Abe M (2002) Reduced sensory nerve conduction velocity of the distal part of the radial nerve among patients with vibration syndrome. Electromyogr Clin Neurophysiol 42:113–118
Hisanaga H (1982) Studies of peripheral nerve conduction velocities in vibrating tool operators (in Japanese with English summary). Jpn J Ind Health 24:284–293
Ho S-T, Yu H-S (1986) A study of neurophysiological measurements and various function tests on workers occupationally exposed to vibration. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 58:259–268
Ho S-T, Yu H-S (1989) Ultra-structural changes of the peripheral nerve induced by vibration: an experimental study. Br J Ind Med 46:157–164
Koskimies K, Färkkilä M, Pyykkö I, Jäntti V, Aatola V, Starck J, Inaba R (1990) Carpal tunnel syndrome in vibration syndrome. Br J Ind Med 47:411–416
Juntunen J, Matikainen E, Seppälänen AM, Laine A (1983) Peripheral neuropathy and vibration syndrome. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 52:17–24
Lukas E (1982) Peripheral nervous system and hand-arm vibration exposure. In: Brammer AJ, Taylor W (eds) Vibration effects on the hand and arm in industry. Wiley, New York, pp 39–43
Lundborg G, Dahlin LB, Danielsen N, Hansson HA, Necking LE, Pyykkö I (1987) Intraneural edema following exposure to vibration. Scand J Work Environ Health 13:326–329
Matloub HS, Yang J-G, Kolachalam RB, Zhang L-L, Sanger JR, Riley DA (2005) Neuropathological changes in vibration injury: an experimental study. Microsurgery 25:71–75
Sakakibara H, Kondo T, Miyao M, Yamada S (1994) Digital nerve conduction velocity as a sensitive indication of peripheral neuropathy in vibration syndrome. Am J Ind Med 26:359–366
Sakakibara H, Hirata M, Hashiguchi T, Toibana N, Koshiyama H, Zhu S-K, Kondo T, Miyao M, Yamada S (1996) Digital sensory nerve conduction velocity and vibration perception threshold peripheral neurological test for hand-arm vibration syndrome. Am J Ind Med 30:219–244
Sakakibara H, Hirata M, Hashiguchi T, Toibana N, Koshiyama H (1998) Affected segments of the median nervein fractionated nerve conduction measurement in vibration-induced neuropathy. Ind Health 36:155–159
Takeuchi T, Futatsuka M, Imanishi H, Yamada S (1986) Pathological changes in the finger biopsy of patients with vibration-induced white finger, Scand J Work Environ Health 12:280–283
Takeuchi T, Takeya M, Imanishi H (1988) Ultrastructural changes in peripheral nerves of the fingers of three vibration-exposed persons with Raynaud’s phenomenon. Scand J Work Environ Health 14:31–35
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hirata, M., Sakakibara, H. Sensory nerve conduction velocities of median, ulnar and radial nerves in patients with vibration syndrome. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 80, 273–280 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-006-0131-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-006-0131-6