[A study of sympathetic skin response to the damage of autonomic nerves function in patients with chronic N-hexane poisoning].
OBJECTIVE
To study the sympathetic skin response (SSR) to the effects of N-hexane on autonomic nerves function in patients with chronic N-hexane poisoning.


METHODS
The subjects in present study included 30 controls and 37 cases with chronic N-hexane poisoning. Also 37 patients were divided into 3 subgroups (mild, moderate and severe poisoning) according to diagnostic criteria of occupational diseases. All subjects were examined by SSR test and nerve conduction velocity (NCV) test. All patients were reexamined by SSR and NCV every 1 ∼ 2 months. The differences in SSR parameters (latency, amplitude) among groups were observed. In the severe poisoning subgroup, the changes of SSR and NCV parameters (conduction velocity, amplitude) in different poisoning stages were observed.


RESULTS
There were significant differences in SSR latency of upper extremity among groups and the significant differences in SSR amplitude of upper and lower extremity among groups (P < 0.05). No significant differences in SSR parameters were found between the adjacent groups (P > 0.05). There were significant differences in SSR latency of upper extremity during different periods and the significant differences in SSR amplitude of upper and lower extremity during different periods among all groups (P < 0.05). The change of SSR parameters consistent with that in NCV. The longest SSR latency of upper extremity and the smallest SSR amplitudes of upper and lower extremity appears 1 - 2 months earlier than that of the smallest action potential amplitude.


CONCLUSIONS
The damage of autonomic nerves induced by N-hexane increased with poisoning progresses. The damage of autonomic nerves corresponded with the damage of myelin sheath of large myelinated nerves, but which appeared 1 - 2 months earlier than the damage of axon of large myelinated nerves. SSR test may serve as a method to detect the damage of autonomic nerves function in patients with chronic N-hexane poisoning.
Shenzhen Prevention and Treatment Center for Occupational Diseases, Shenzhen, China.
Jie
J
Situ
Jian
J
Wu
Jing-lin
JL
Wang
De-xiang
DX
Zhu
Jian-jie
JJ
Zhang
Wei-wei
WW
Liu
Zhuo-hui
ZH
Qin
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017776:Autonomic Pathways / Q000503:physiopathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response; D006586:Hexanes / Q000506:poisoning*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009431:Neural Conduction; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012867:Skin / Q000294:innervation / Q000503:physiopathology; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult
D006586:Hexanes; C026385:n-hexane