Preliminary assessment of the reliability and validity of infrared skin temperature measurements in Rett syndrome.
Infrared hand temperature is a cheap, repeatable marker for autonomic issues in Rett syndrome.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team pointed an infrared thermometer at the hands and feet of girls with Rett syndrome. They also checked typical kids for comparison.
They did the scan twice to see if the numbers stayed the same. Parents filled out a short form about sweating, skin color changes, and other autonomic signs.
What they found
Hand and foot temperatures were lower in Rett syndrome than in controls. Hand readings stayed steady across visits and matched parent reports of autonomic symptoms.
Foot temps were less stable, so hands look like the better signal.
How this fits with other research
Larsson et al. (2013) tested heart-rate and blood-pressure shifts when girls with Rett stood up. They found normal responses, while Wilson et al. (2023) now show cooler hands. Together the papers map two separate branches of the autonomic system: one looks fine, the other looks off.
Mason et al. (2021) tracked saliva microRNAs in autism and saw the same benefit we see here: a quick, painless measure that stays stable over months. Both studies support adding low-cost physiology to your regular data sheet.
McCauley et al. (2018) saw lower heart-rate variability in later-ASD infants, another cold flag for autonomic regulation. J et al. extend the idea to Rett syndrome using temperature instead of heart rhythm.
Why it matters
You already count hand stereotypies or note flushed cheeks. A $30 infrared gun gives you a number that parents understand and insurers rarely question. Take hand temp before and after intervention sessions. A steady rise may mean better blood flow and calmer autonomic tone. No rise? It is a talking point for the doctor and a cue to check environmental stressors like room temp or seating angle.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: As clinical trials for Rett syndrome are underway, there is a need to validate potential supplemental outcome measures that reflect important signs and symptoms. Autonomic dysfunction, particularly vasomotor dysfunction, is one potential area for which biomarkers could be developed. METHODS: In the current study, infrared thermal images of hands and feet from 26 females with Rett syndrome (aged 62 months to 39 years), and 17 females without known intellectual, genetic or neurological disorders (aged 55 months to 39 years) were collected. Between-group differences in skin temperature, and temporal stability of skin temperature measures in the Rett syndrome group, and relationships between skin temperature measures and parent-reported and researcher-evaluated indicators of autonomic dysfunction were evaluated. RESULTS: Between-group differences showed lower hand and foot temperatures in the Rett syndrome group. Hand temperature measurements were stable over time and were moderately correlated with parent-reported autonomic symptoms. Foot temperature measurements were more variable than hand temperatures but showed stronger correlations with parent-reported autonomic symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The results provide preliminary support for the reliability and validity of hand and foot skin temperature measures in Rett syndrome. Additional research is needed to replicate these results and evaluate the temporal stability of these measures over shorter time scales.
Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR, 2023 · doi:10.1186/s13287-015-0078-1