Quantity and quality of sweating in atopic dermatitis

Abstract

Sweat may be an important factor in triggering an exacerbation of atopic dermatitis. It was the aim of this study to evaluate a possible correlation between atopic patients and hyperhidrosis-measured by a questionnaire-and to find out whether there are qualitative differences in sweat response-measured by sudomotor activity (sympathetic skin response test, SSR). Included were 100 study participants, of whom 50 were patients with atopic dermatitis and 50 were serving as control group. The frequency of hyperhidrosis is higher in atopic patients than in the control group (30 vs. 16%), but has no statistical significance. In addition, patients with hyperhidrosis and atopic dermatitis have a significantly higher exacerbation rate of atopic dermatitis in summertime. The group of atopic patients shows a statistically significant prolonged SSR latency period, which indicates an insufficient sympathetic innervation. In our tests, type IV allergic patients showed clear differences in terms of SSR latency and amplitude. Atopic patients have a higher incidence of hyperhidrosis. The study clearly shows that there is a dysfunction of sudomotor activity in the sympathetic nervous system of atopic patients. Our findings suggest that a deficient innervation of sweat glands in atopic patients may lead to an increase in the development of type IV allergies.

Assessment of autonomic nervous system functions and cardiac rhythms in patients using isotretinoin

“…In general, it is accepted that sebaceous glands are not innervated by the peripheral nervous system. However, it was reported that the number of nerve fibers around sebaceous glands in facial skin is high in acne vulgaris patients, whereas it was found that nerve fibers in normal facial skin were rare [15].…”

“…In a study that included 50 subjects with atopic dermatitis and 50 healthy subjects conducted by Wruhs et al , sudomotor activity (activity of sweat glands) in the two groups was measured by the SSR method [15]. It was found that the average SSR latency was significantly longer in the atopic group than the control group.…”

“…Average SSR amplitude was lower in the atopic group than the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant. Wruhs et al postulated that extension of SSR latency may be an indication of sympathetic innervation deficiency [15]. The findings of Wruhs et al suggest that, as in dermatomyositis or polymyositis, the nerve fibers within the related tissue are secondarily affected by inflammation.…”

Efficacy of a moisturizer containing a pseudo‐ceramide and a eucalyptus extract for Japanese patients with mild atopic dermatitis in the summer

“…It has been reported that catalase activity in the human stratum corneum shows seasonal variation and is lower in the summer . Furthermore, sweat is considered as an important factor in triggering an exacerbation of AD …”

“…32 Furthermore, sweat is considered as an important factor in triggering an exacerbation of AD. 33 Thus, it is presumed that less dryness might be induced in the summer but there is more skin stimulation due to sweat and other environmental factors. In this study, accompanied with the increase in daily temperature, skin dryness, and scaling were significantly improved even without application of the moisturizing gel, although there were no changes in skin hydration.…”