Sweating impairment in patients with multiple sclerosis.
OBJECTIVE
To measure sweating in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).


METHODS
Sweating was measured by an evaporimeter after a heating stimulus in 29 MS patients and in 15 healthy control subjects.


RESULTS
The MS patients sweated markedly less than the controls. After 10 min of heating the sweating was significantly lower in the forehead (P = 0.034), feet (right, P = 0.033; left, P = 0.037) and legs (right, P = 0.043; left, P = 0.029) of the MS patients than in those of the controls. After 15 min of heating the difference was statistically significant only in the feet (right, P = 0.043; left, P = 0.029). The Expanded Disability Status Scale score correlated inversely with sweating at 15 min of heating in the left hand (r = 0.42, P < 0.05), and in the left (r = 0.36, P < 0.05) and right foot (r = 0.37, P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
MS is associated with an impairment in thermoregulatory sweating which seems to be related to the disease severity.
Saari
A
A
Department of Neurology, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland. anne.saari@ppshp.fi
Tolonen
U
U
Pääkkö
E
E
Suominen
K
K
Jauhiainen
J
J
Sotaniemi
K A
KA
Myllylä
V V
VV
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001342:Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D003711:Demyelinating Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D007007:Hypohidrosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology