01739nas a2200301   4500000000100000008004100001260003700042653001000079653001100089653002000100653001100120653000900131653001700140653002500157653002100182653002300203653000900226653001800235100001500253700001700268700002200285245007800307856005600385300001000441490000700451520096500458022001401423       2011                            d  c2011 DecbScieloaRio de Janeiro10aAdult10aFemale10aHot Temperature10aHumans10aMale10aNerve Fibers10aPhysical Stimulation10aReference Values10aSensory Thresholds10aSkin10aThermosensing1 aCollina DD1 aVillarroel M1 aTierra-Criollo CJ00aThermal record of the test tubes method used for small fibers assessment.  uhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0004-282X2011000700017    a932-70 v693 a<p>In Brazil, the test that uses test tubes filled with cold water (25ºC) and tubes filled with water heated to a temperature of 45ºC is recommended by the Ministry of Health as a way of evaluate thermal sensitivity on the injured skin of leprosy patients. The purpose of this work was to quantify the thermal stimulation applied to the skin, as well as the temperature variation of the heated water and of the tube's outer surface during stimulation sessions. The experiment had the participation of 14 healthy volunteers (31.2 ± 11.4 years-old), ten of which were male (33.1 ± 13.5 years-old) and four were female (26.5 ± 4.7 years-old). Three consecutive stimulation sessions were carried out, each of them with four stimuli. The maximum skin temperature at the end of the stimuli was measured at 35.8 ± 0.6ºC. Such temperature values may be useful in the assessment of the loss of small fibers, which are responsible for the sensation of warmth.</p>  a1678-4227