Article
Active von Frey filament test: new technique for evaluation of hand tactile sensation measuring in continuous variable units
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Published: | February 6, 2020 |
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Outline
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Objectives/Interrogation: To measure and analyze the tactile sensation of human hand, several devices have been introduced. Von Frey filament test is a mainstay in clinical setting, however, the results can be affected by variable factors such as touch speed. Moreover, the differences between two adjacent grades of filaments are too large to detect fine change. We developed a new tools for evaluation of tactile sense (active Von Frey filament test; AvF), and hypothesized that AvF show different pattern of measured values.
Methods: The AvF was developed to provide an accurate force for human skin sensation. The touching force of the AvF started at 1mgf much lower than 1st grade (8mgf) vF. D'Arsonval movement is chosen as an actuator. After acquiring IRB approval, 32 normal subjects were examined. In the autonomous zone of the median and the ulnar nerve, i.e., index and 5th finger volar tip were examined using AvF and vF without vision. Each measured value was collected and the correlation between AvF and vF was evaluated.
Results and Conclusions: Mean value of AvF was significantly higher than that of vF (111.3±46.9 vs 24.1±9.8) (p<0.01) with larger variance. Spearman correlation coefficient between AvF and vF was 0.341.
AvF can provide more precise values with continuous units for tactile sensation. Values of AvF and that of vF might be not that correlated.