Comparison of shivering in man exposed to cold in water and in air

Metabolic rate (M), mean skin temperature ( $\bar Tsk$ ) and rectal temperature (Tre) were studied during 2 h exposure to cold in the air (Ta=15–25°C) and in water $({\text{T}}_{{\text{H}}_{\text{2}} {\text{O}}} = 24 - 32^\circ {\text{C)}}$ . From the results, it was possible to draw tentative equations of the metabolic response in transient and steady state as functions of body temperatures: M_air=41,3–57.77 dTsk/dt-5.01 $\left( {\bar Tsk_t - \bar Tsk_0 } \right)$ and M_water=M_air+984.15−23.79 Tre. These equations show an important difference between the two groups of experiments: in water, both $\bar Tsk$ and Tre are required, whereas $\bar Tsk$ suffices in air. This leads to discuss the usage of mean weighted skin temperature and rectal temperature to describe peripheral and central input respectively, specially on man in cold air, in the range of these experiments.