A Cross Sectional Study on Hand-arm Vibration Syndrome among a Group of Tree Fellers in a Tropical Environment

This study aimed to explore the clinical characteristics of hand arm vibration syndrome(HAVS) in a group of tree fellers in a tropical environment. We examined all tree fellersand selected control subjects in a logging camp of central Sarawak for vibration exposureand presence of HAVS symptoms utilizing vibrotactile perception threshold test (VPT) andcold water provocation test (CWP). None of the subjects reported white finger. The treefellers reported significantly higher prevalence of finger coldness as compared to thecontrol subjects (OR=10.32, 95%CI=1.21–87.94). A lower finger skin temperature, longerfingernail capillary return time and higher VPT were observed among the tree fellers ascompared to the control subjects in all fingers (effect size >0.5). The VPT followingCWP of the tree fellers was significantly higher (repeated measures ANOVAp=0.002, partial η²=0.196) than the control subject. The A(8) level was associated with finger tingling, numbness and dullness (effect size=0.983)and finger coldness (effect size=0.524) among the tree fellers. Finger coldness and fingertingling, numbness and dullness are important symptoms for HAVS in tropical environmentthat may indicate vascular and neurological damage due to hand-transmitted vibrationexposure.