EFFECT OF AGE AND HEIGHT ON VIBROTACTILE THRESHOLD AMONG 1,663 US WORKERS

Assessment of vibrotactile threshold has gained application in studies of neuropathies induced by toxic substances, compression, and vibrati on. The effect of age and height on vibrotactile threshold is of inter est for its own sake and for the purpose of confounder control. We hav e studied the relation between finger and toe vibrotactile thresholds and age and height in five studies carried out by the National institu te for Occupational Safety and Health with vibrometry data (N = 1,663) . A unique property of the merged data set was its wide age range fron t 14 to 82 years (mean 42 years). We demonstrate a J-shaped increase i n finger threshold value (expressed on a log scale) with age, with no increase up to age 35 and a linear increase thereafter For finger thre shold, height was not an important predictor The data were sparser (n = 541) for toe threshold but suggested a linear increase with both age and height. While consistent with prior data, this study provides a b etter understanding of the relation between vibrotactile threshold and age and height than has been available before. The greater effect of age and height on toe rather than finger threshold is consistent with the hypothesis that the length of the nerve increases susceptibility t o peripheral neuropathy. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.(dagger)