title: Thermoregulatory sweating in palmar hyperhidrosis before and after upper thoracic sympathectomy.
abstract: To assess thermoregulatory sweating in palmar hyperhidrosis, the authors determined the responses of three groups of normal, hyperhidrotic, and denervated subjects to a variety of ambient temperatures (TA's), 22 degrees, 28 degrees, and 41 degrees C. The normal group had no hyperhidrosis, with intact T2-3 ganglia, the hyperhidrotic group had palm hyperhidrosis with intact T2-3 ganglia, and the denervated group had hyperhydrosis treated with T2-3 ganglionectomy. Both groups of hyperhidrotic and denervated subjects maintained oral and mean skin temperatures within normal limits displayed by the normal group over a wide range of TA's tested. The local sweating rate (LSR) of both the palms and the soles of the feet in the hyperhidrotic group was decreased to a minimal level by either the T2-3 ganglionectomy or the subcutaneous administration of atropine sulfate. Furthermore, the denervated group had a significantly lower LSR of both the forehead and the upper chest regions, but showed a higher LSR or both the ventral thigh and the lateral lumbar regions at a TA of 41 degrees C when compared to the LSR of either the normal or the unoperated hyperhidrotic group. The data demonstrate that the surgical removal of both the T-2 and the T-3 ganglia, although producing no alterations in the thermal balance, does produce abnormalities in quantitative distribution of thermoregulatory sweating in man.
mesh_terms: D001285:Atropine / Q000494:pharmacology; D001831:Body Temperature; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation; D005725:Ganglia, Autonomic / Q000601:surgery; D006225:Hand; D006801:Humans; D006945:Hyperhidrosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D012881:Skin Temperature; D013546:Sweating / Q000187:drug effects; D013562:Sympathectomy
chemical_list: D001285:Atropine