Contact heat evoked potentials in knowledge workers and unskilled labors

BACKGROUND: Whether occupation has an impact on contact heat evoked potential (CHEP) results has not been investigated. In this study, we investigated the difference of CHEP parameters between knowledge workers and unskilled labors. METHODS: A total of 137 healthy participants were recruited between November 20, 2014 and December 31, 2016. All participants underwent neurologic examination, laboratory examination, and nerve conduction studies. CHEP was performed on four body sites: the upper border of the distal third of the volar forearm, the upper border of the distal third of the lateral leg, the spinous process of seventh cervical vertebrae (C7), and the spinous process of 12th thoracic vertebrae (T12). Independent t test and nonparametric test were performed using SPSS software to compare the difference of the CHEP parameters between knowledge workers and unskilled labors. RESULTS: The “N(2) latency/height” (Z = −2.290, P = 0.022) and “P(2) latency/height” (Z = −2.020, P = 0.043) on the volar forearm of unskilled labors significantly increased than those of knowledge workers. The “N(2) latency/height” (F = 6.348, P = 0.016) and “P(2) latency/height” (F = 5.920, P = 0.018) in the distal leg of unskilled labors significantly prolonged than those of knowledge workers. The N(2)-P(2) amplitude (F = 5.797, P = 0.020) in the distal leg of unskilled labors significantly decreased than those of knowledge workers. CONCLUSIONS: Our study found that significantly prolonged N(2) latency and P(2) latency and significantly decreased N(2)-P(2) amplitude in the distal leg and the volar forearm in unskilled labors as to knowledge workers.