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Comparison of sympathetic sudomotor and skin responses in alcoholic neuropathy
Author(s) -
Navarro Xavier,
Miralles Ramon,
Espadaler Josep M.,
RubiésPrat Juan
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/mus.880160410
Subject(s) - sudomotor , medicine , microneurography , dermatology , baroreflex , heart rate , blood pressure
We evaluated sympathetic sudomotor and parasympathetic vagal function in 30 chronic alcoholic patients and 28 control subjects by means of silicone imprints, sympathetic skin responses (SSR), and cardiorespiratory reflex tests. Mean values from alcoholic patients were significantly lower than those from control subjects for all tests. The number of secreting sweat glands (SGN) was below normal in the foot of 18 patients, and in the hand of 7 patients; 16 patients had absent SSR on the sole, and 4 on the palm. Only two patients had both test results abnormal on the hand and 10 on the foot. The SGN did not correlate with the amplitude of the SSR in the subjects studied. There was no clear correlation of abnormalities found in cardiorespiratory tests and sympathetic tests. Abnormalities in sensory nerve conduction were associated with absent SSR, but not with decreased SGN. The silicone mold technique is a more specific test to detect abnormalities in sympathetic efferent fibers, as SSR may be influenced by sensory afferent fiber involvement. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.