Influence of body dimensions and sex on cold-induced vasodilation

• Published in: European journal of applied physiology Vol. 125; no. 5; pp. 1385 - 1393
• Main Authors: Weller, Rebecca S., Govaerts, Jaro, Akkermans, Rachel, Jones, Douglas M., Daanen, Hein A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.05.2025; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cold Temperature; Female; Females; Finger; Fingers - blood supply; Fingers - physiology; Human Physiology; Humans; Male; Males; Occupational Medicine/Industrial Medicine; Original Article; Physiology; Sex Characteristics; Sex Factors; Sex ratio; Skin Temperature - physiology; Sports Medicine; Vasodilation; Vasodilation - physiology; Young Adult; Surface-to-mass ratio; Hunting reaction; Cold stress; Allen’s rule; Finger skin temperature; Bergmann’s rule
• ISSN: 1439-6319; 1439-6327; 1439-6327
• DOI: 10.1007/s00421-024-05685-y

Cold-induced vasodilation (CIVD) is a physiological response characterized by cyclic vasodilation occurring within 5–10 min of cold exposure, predominantly in the fingers and toes. This study aimed to determine the roles of body dimensions, specifically surface-to-mass (SM) ratio and sex in modulating CIVD responses. Thirty-nine participants (mean ± SD age: 24 ± 3 yr; height: 174 ± 28 cm; weight: 75.3 ± 15.2 kg; 20 males & 19 females) completed a 30-min immersion of the digits in ice water while sitting in a thermoneutral room (22 °C). Skin temperature was measured continuously on the anterior pads of the index, middle, ring, and little finger to assess CIVD parameters (onset time ( t onset ), minimum finger temperature ( T min ), maximum finger temperature ( T max ), mean finger temperature ( T mean ), and CIVD waves ). A negative relationship was observed between T max and SM ratio ( r  =  – 0.39, p  = 0.001) and T mean and SM ratio ( r  =  – 0.32, p  = 0.001), indicating that individuals with smaller SM ratios exhibited enhanced CIVD responses. A subgroup of 7 males and 7 females with identical anthropometrics from the original cohort showed no differences between any CIVD parameter: T mean (Males: 8.0 ± 1.9 °C; Females: 8.9 ± 1.6 °C, p  = 0.36), T max (Males: 11.2 ± 3.1 °C; Females: 13.1 ± 1.2 °C, p = 0.16), T min (Males: 5.9 ± 1.4 °C; Females: 5.0 ± 1.7 °C, p  = 0.31), and t onset (Males: 12.0 ± 4.4 min; Females: 9.6 ± 3.6 min, p  = 0.28). Therefore, body dimensions seem to play a crucial role in modulating CIVD responses, whereas sex does not.