A simple and valid method to determine thermoregulatory sweating threshold and sensitivity

Abstract

Sweating threshold temperature and sweating sensitivity responses are measured to evaluate thermoregulatory control. However, analytic approaches vary, and no standardized methodology has been validated. This study validated a simple and standardized method, segmented linear regression (SReg), for determination of sweating threshold temperature and sensitivity. Archived data were extracted for analysis from studies in which local arm sweat rate (ṁsw; ventilated dew-point temperature sensor) and esophageal temperature (Tes) were measured under a variety of conditions. The relationship ṁsw/Tes from 16 experiments was analyzed by seven experienced raters (Rater), using a variety of empirical methods, and compared against SReg for the determination of sweating threshold temperature and sweating sensitivity values. Individual interrater differences ( n = 324 comparisons) and differences between Rater and SReg ( n = 110 comparisons) were evaluated within the context of biologically important limits of magnitude (LOM) via a modified Bland-Altman approach. The average Rater and SReg outputs for threshold temperature and sensitivity were compared ( n = 16) using inferential statistics. Rater employed a very diverse set of criteria to determine the sweating threshold temperature and sweating sensitivity for the 16 data sets, but interrater differences were within the LOM for 95% (threshold) and 73% (sensitivity) of observations, respectively. Differences between mean Rater and SReg were within the LOM 90% (threshold) and 83% (sensitivity) of the time, respectively. Rater and SReg were not different by conventional t-test ( P > 0.05). SReg provides a simple, valid, and standardized way to determine sweating threshold temperature and sweating sensitivity values for thermoregulatory studies.