Daily rhythm of skin temperature of women evaluated by infrared thermal imaging

• Published in: Journal of thermal biology Vol. 72; pp. 1 - 9
• Main Authors: Costa, Carlos Magno Amaral, Moreira, Danilo Gomes, Sillero-Quintana, Manuel, Brito, Ciro José, de Azambuja Pussieldi, Guilherme, de Andrade Fernandes, Alex, Cano, Sergio Piñonosa, Bouzas Marins, João Carlos
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-02-2018; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Arm; Body temperature; Body weight; Circadian rhythm; Circadian rhythms; Cosinor analysis; Forearm; Heat detection; Infrared thermography; Limbs; Skin; Skin temperature; Temperature effects; Thermography; Women; Infrared thermography; Circadian rhythm; Cosinor analysis; Skin temperature
• ISSN: 0306-4565; 1879-0992
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2017.12.002

It is well known that skin temperature varies due to circadian rhythm. Although there is information available for men, little is known about women's circadian rhythm in the analysis of skin temperature (Tsk) using infrared thermography. The objective of this study is to identify Tsk variations on different body regions in women through infrared thermography during the day. The sample consisted of 20 female (mean age of 20.5 ± 1.3 years, body weight of 62.2 ± 9.2kg and height of 165.0 ± 4.7cm). Oneway ANOVA for repeated measures, and Cosinor analysis was used to determine the MESOR, amplitude and acrophase of Tsk. The regions of the forearm, upper arm and anterior and posterior legs in the lower limbs, as well as the chest and scapulae in the upper limbs showed higher variability throughout the day. In general, distal regions had lower values compared with the central regions, and the pectoral region had the lowest standard deviation values. Tsk of the analyzed regions at different times show significant differences between periods of the day in young active women, showing the minimum absolute values for both Tsk in the early morning. These results highlight the need to consider the time of day when analyzing women's skin temperature. Future studies should report the time of day when the images were collected, as well as consider the circadian rhythm when making comparisons.
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•Due to circadian variations in Tsk, IRT assessment should be performed at the same time of day.•For thermogram interpretation, it is important to register the time when the image was recorded.•Daily variations of Tsk suggest different thermogenic adjustments depending on the region.