Effects of Chemotherapy Gloves Combining Hand Cooling and Wrist Compression on Cutaneous Vasoconstriction and Local Sensation in the Hands

This study investigated the combined effects of wrist compression and hand cooling on cutaneous vasoconstriction of the hands to develop chemotherapy gloves that alleviate side-effects of anti-cancer treatments. Eight healthy young females (23 ± 3 y in age, 162 ± 4 cm in height, 60 ± 8 kg in weight, 22.6 ± 3.0 kg•mSUP-2/SUP in body mass index, 29.0 ± 6.6 % body fat) participated in the following three experimental conditions: cooling only with 14℃ (CO), cooling & intermittent compression (CIC), and cooling & continuous compression (CCC). The results showed 1) no significant differences in finger skin blood flow(%) or finger skin temperature among the three conditions, 2) no significant difference in hand skin temperature between the CO and CCC or CIC conditions, and 3) no significant differences in overall thermal sensation or thermal comfort among the three conditions. However, subjects felt more wrist and hand pressure and tingle sensations in the CIC (pressure phase) and CCC conditions than in the CO condition (P0.001). In conclusion, we did not find any synergistic effects on hand skin vasoconstriction from adding wrist compression to hand cooling, and the pressure and tingling sensations were deteriorated by adding the compression band. Therefore, we suggest cooling the hands at 14oC during cancer treatments, rather than adding compression with cooling.