Cold-induced vasodilatation (CIVD) is proposed to be a protective response to prevent cold injuries in the extremities during cold exposure, but the laboratory-based trainability of CIVD responses in the hand remains equivocal. Therefore, we investigated the thermal response across the fingers with repeated local cold exposure of the whole hand, along with the transferability of acclimation to the fingers of the contralateral hand. Nine healthy subjects immersed their right hand up to the styloid process in 8 degrees C water for 30 min daily for 13 days. The left hand was immersed on days 1 and 13. Skin temperature was recorded on the pads of the five fingertips and the dorsal surface of the hand. The presence of CIVD, defined as an increase in finger skin temperature of 0.5 degrees C at any time during cooling, occurred in 98.5% of the 585 (9 subjects x 5 sites x 13 trials) measurements. Seven distinct patterns of thermal responses were evident, including plateaus in finger temperature and superimposed waves. The number (N) of CIVD waves decreased in all digits of the right hand over the acclimation period (P = 0.02), from average (SD) values ranging from 2.7 (1.7) to 3 (1.4) in different digits on day 1, to 1.9 (0.9) and 2.2 (0.7) on day 13. Average (SD) finger skin temperature (T (avg)) ranged from 11.8 (1.4) degrees C in finger 5 to 12.7 (2.8) degrees C in finger 3 on day 1, and then decreased significantly (P < 0.001) over the course of the training immersions, attaining values ranging from 10.8 (0.9) degrees C in finger 4 to 10.9 (0.9) degrees C in finger 2 on day 13. In the contralateral hand, N was reduced from 2.5 to 1.5 (P < 0.01) and T (avg) by approximately 2 degrees C (P < 0.01). No changes were observed in thermal sensation or comfort of the hand over the acclimation. We conclude that, under conditions of whole-hand immersion in cold water, CIVD is not trainable and may lead to systemic attenuation of thermal responses to local cooling.

We evaluated the cold-induced vasodilatation (CIVD) response at 4 different water temperatures. Nine healthy young male subjects immersed their right hands in 35 °C water for 5 min, and immediately thereafter for 30 min in a bath maintained at either 5, 8, 10, or 15 °C. The responses of finger skin temperatures, subjective ratings of thermal comfort and temperature sensation scores were compared between the 4 immersion trials. The number of subjects who exhibited a CIVD response was higher during immersion of the hand in 5 and 8 °C (100%) compared with 10 and 15 °C water (87.5% and 37.5%, respectively). The CIVD temperature amplitude was 4.2 ± 2.6, 3.4 ± 2.0, 2.1 ± 1.6, and 2.8 ± 2.0 °C at 5, 8, 10, and 15 °C trials, respectively; higher in 5 and 8 °C compared with 10 and 15 °C water (p = 0.003). No differences in CIVD were found between the 5 and 8 °C immersions. However, during immersion in 5 °C, subjects felt "uncomfortable" while in the other trials felt "slightly uncomfortable" (p = 0.005). The temperature sensation score was "cold" for 5 °C and "cool" for the other trials, but no statistical differences were observed. Immersion of the hand in 8 °C elicits a CIVD response of similar magnitude as immersion in 5 °C, but with less thermal discomfort.

Cold-induced vasodilatation (CIVD) has been proposed as a potential protective mechanism against cold injuries during exposure of extremities to a cold environment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of exercise and the associated elevation in core temperature on toe skin temperatures during immersion of the foot in cold (8 degrees C) water. Subjects (N = 8) participated in two trials. In one, they conducted an incremental exercise to exhaustion (exercise) on a cycle ergometer, which was followed by immersion of the right foot in 8 degrees C water. In the second trial (control), immersion of the foot in cold water was not preceded by exercise. Upon completion of the exercise in the exercise trial, and at the onset of the immersion of the foot in cold water, tympanic temperature was 0.6 degrees C (P < 0.01) higher than pre-exercise levels. There was a significant increase (P < 0.05) in the number of CIVD waves, but not their amplitudes, in the exercise trial compared to the control trial. A CIVD response occurred in 57.5% of all toes in the exercise trial, and in only 27.5% in the control trial. Additionally, 50% of subjects exhibited CIVD in at least one toe in the control trial, and 87.5% during the exercise trial. It is concluded that exercise, and particularly the associated elevation in core temperature, enhances the frequency of the toe CIVD responses, and can therefore potentially act as a protective mechanism against cold injury.