Accidental hypothermia and local cold injury: physiological and epidemiological studies on risk

" If the Lord Almighty had consulted me before embarking on creation, I should have recommended something simpler " Alphonso the Wise (1221-1289) This work is dedicated to the memory of my parents, who provided a warm home for me and my brothers and sisters. Abstract 4 ABSTRACT Background: (Papers I and II) The objectives were to first determine incidence and contributing factors to cold-related injuries in northern Sweden, both those that led to hospitalization and those that led to fatality. (Papers III and IV) A further aim was to assess post-cooling hand-rewarming responses and effects of training in a cold environment, both on fingertip rewarming and on function of the autonomic nervous system, to evaluate if there was adaptation related to prolonged occupational cold exposure.