Zaproudina Nina, Närhi Matti, Veijalainen Aapo, Laitinen Tomi, Lakka Timo A
Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, 70211, Kuopio, Finland.
Institute of Dentistry, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, 70211, Kuopio, Finland.
Eur J Appl Physiol. 2016 Feb;116(2):405-13. doi: 10.1007/s00421-015-3297-3. Epub 2015 Nov 26.
The fingertip skin temperature (FST) reflects skin blood flow, and FST measurement has been suggested for the investigation of vascular responses. As a limitation, the multifactorial nature and the seasonal variation in measured values have been earlier described in adults but not in children. In the present study, we identify the modifiers of FST in a population sample of Finnish children.
FST was measured in children (age range 8-11 years, n = 432) with infrared thermometer, and its possible determinants including the subjects' physical characteristics and seasonal variables, such as daylight time and outdoor temperature, were identified.
In univariate regression models, FST was dependent on the sex, age and anthropometric characteristics of the children with the higher body fat content-related variables and a lower surface area-to-mass ratio as strongest single modifiers of FST. There was interaction between sex and puberty with FST. In addition, FST was directly related to daylight time and outdoor temperature although the children had stayed inside for at least 2 h before the measurements. The FST values were lowest in the winter and highest in the summer. In multivariate regression model, main determinants of FST were a higher body fat percentage (standardized regression coefficient β = 0.472; p < 0.001), male sex (β = 0.291; p < 0.001) and longer daylight time (0.226; p < 0.001).
Altogether, complex effects of body composition and sex with the confounding effect of seasonal variation may complicate the use of FST as a tool to study the vascular function in children.
指尖皮肤温度（FST）反映皮肤血流情况，有人建议通过测量FST来研究血管反应。作为一个局限性，测量值的多因素性质和季节性变化在成年人中已有描述，但在儿童中尚未有报道。在本研究中，我们确定了芬兰儿童群体样本中FST的影响因素。
使用红外温度计测量儿童（年龄范围8 - 11岁，n = 432）的FST，并确定其可能的决定因素，包括受试者的身体特征和季节变量，如日照时间和室外温度。
在单变量回归模型中，FST取决于儿童的性别、年龄和人体测量特征，其中与较高体脂含量相关的变量和较低的表面积与质量比是FST最强的单一影响因素。性别与青春期对FST存在交互作用。此外，尽管测量前儿童已在室内至少待了2小时，但FST仍与日照时间和室外温度直接相关。FST值在冬季最低，夏季最高。在多变量回归模型中，FST的主要决定因素是较高的体脂百分比（标准化回归系数β = 0.472；p < 0.001）、男性性别（β = 0.291；p < 0.001）和较长的日照时间（0.226；p < 0.001）。
总体而言，身体成分和性别的复杂影响以及季节变化的混杂效应可能会使FST作为研究儿童血管功能工具的使用变得复杂。
