A hand-held pressure algometer with a pressure sensitive strain gauge at the tip was used to measure the pressure-pain threshold (PPT) in the temporal region of healthy volunteers. Various sizes of circular tips and various application rates were tested before selecting an area of 0.5 cm2 and a constant application rate of 0.68 N X sec-1 for future use. A highly significant correlation was found between PPT values obtained from the two sides (of the head) (P less than 0.001) and between PPT values obtained with a 3-week interval (P less than 0.001). In a series of 50 immediate consecutive measurements in the same individual, the mean PPT was 171 kPa (N = 6, 2 S.D. 24%). The mean relative change in PPT after a 3-week interval was 0 +/- 51% (N = 11, 2 S.D.). In the course of 5 repeated determinations at weekly intervals there was a significant increase in PPT (ANOVA, P less than 0.05). Subcutaneous lignocaine significantly elevated PPT compared to placebo. Due to the high inter-individual variation, determinations of PPT for group comparisons should include rather large population samples, whereas in paired studies, the intra-individual variation allows the investigation of much smaller groups (10-20 subjects). It is our experience that the pressure algometer is easy to operate in the hands of a skilled laboratory assistant.

Pressure-pain thresholds (PPT) were measured on fingers and toes with a hand-held electronic pressure algometer in 15 males and 15 females. The pressure algometer offered easy control of pressure application rate. The intra-individual coefficient of variation, based on repeated PPT measurements with a 1 week interval was 14%. The inter-individual coefficient of variation was 28% for females and 33% for males. In the course of 10 consecutive PPT measurements with short intervals (10 and 20 sec), no significant change in PPT was observed. PPT was found to be 50% higher in males than in females (P less than 0.0001). Slightly but significantly higher PPT values were found on the dominant compared to the non-dominant side (P less than 0.005).

The present study was undertaken to investigate the frequency of the nasal carrier rate of Staphylococcus aureus. The investigation was performed on 104 healthy persons. The total number of swabs performed was 1498 and this resulted in isolation of 522 S. aureus strains. All strains have been identified, tested for antibiotic susceptibility, and phage-typed. The carrier-index (number of positive swabs/number of total swabs for each individual person) was compared with different sampling and culturing methods, phage type, age, and resistance to antibiotics. There was statistical difference in carrier rate according to sex (P < 0.05). Among the 104 persons 15 (14.4%) were persistent carriers, 17 (16.3%) intermittent carriers, 55 (52.9%) occasional carriers and 17 (16.3%) non-carriers. Among intermittent and occasional carriers the phage-type distribution was different from the S. aureus strains isolated from Danish hospitalized patients in 1992, while the persistent carriers had similar phage-type distribution.