Miliaria crystallina in an intensive care setting.
Drop-like, transient blisters of miliaria crystallina may develop with focal intensity of heat within the skin, such as occurs in tropical climates or during febrile episodes. Miliaria crystallina develops due to a transient poral closure of the sweat duct opening, resulting in obstruction of free flow of eccrine sweat and retention in a vesicle below the skin surface. Dual cholinergic and adrenergic sweat gland innervation is influenced by a variety of medications used in intensive care patients. We present two febrile intensive care patients in whom enhanced alpha-adrenergic stimulation of sweat gland myoepithelia may have led to miliaria crystallina.
Haas
N
N
Departments of Dermatology, Medical Faculty (Charité), Humboldt-University Berlin, Schumannstrasse 20/21, 10117 Berlin, Germany. norb.haas@charite.de
Martens
F
F
Henz
B M
BM
D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000009:adverse effects; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000009:adverse effects; D000328:Adult; D000420:Albuterol / Q000009:adverse effects; D003000:Clonidine / Q000009:adverse effects; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods*; D003875:Drug Eruptions / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008883:Miliaria / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000628:therapy*
D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D003000:Clonidine; D000420:Albuterol