Loavenbruck Adam J, Hodges James S, Provitera Vincenzo, Nolano Maria, Wendelshafer-Crabb Gwen, Kennedy William R
Department of Neurology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
Telese Terme, 'S. Maugeri' Foundation IRCCS, Benevento, Italy.
J Peripher Nerv Syst. 2017 Jun;22(2):139-148. doi: 10.1111/jns.12212.
There is a need for quantitative, precise assessment of small fiber peripheral nerve function. We tested a customized camera device and protocol designed to quantify secretions of individual sweat glands (SGs). Testing was performed on 178 healthy controls and 20 neuropathy subjects. Sweating was stimulated on a 2.25 cm skin area by iontophoresis of pilocarpine. The camera imaged sweat from 50 to 400 sweat ducts. We calculated secretion rate of individual SGs, total sweat volume, and number of secreting SGs at four body sites. Neuropathy subjects were tested at the two distal sites to demonstrate the device's capability to detect abnormal sudomotor function. Normal ranges were calculated for each body site. Neuropathy subjects had lower sweat rates per SG, lower total sweat, and lower SG density. The normal values decreased with advancing age, were lower in females, and differed between body sites. There was good agreement with repeat testing. The device provides reliable, precise quantitative measures of sweat secretion from single SGs for characterization of sudomotor nerve function in healthy control subjects and in subjects with known peripheral neuropathy. The test combines the capabilities of existing tests of sudomotor function while providing additional capabilities.
需要对小纤维周围神经功能进行定量、精确的评估。我们测试了一种定制的相机设备和方案，旨在量化单个汗腺（SG）的分泌情况。对178名健康对照者和20名神经病变受试者进行了测试。通过毛果芸香碱离子电渗疗法在2.25平方厘米的皮肤区域刺激出汗。相机对50至400个汗腺导管的汗液进行成像。我们计算了四个身体部位单个SG的分泌率、总汗液量和分泌性SG的数量。对神经病变受试者在两个远端部位进行测试，以证明该设备检测异常汗腺运动功能的能力。计算了每个身体部位的正常范围。神经病变受试者每个SG的出汗率较低、总汗液量较低且SG密度较低。正常值随年龄增长而降低，女性较低，且不同身体部位之间存在差异。重复测试结果具有良好的一致性。该设备可为健康对照者和已知周围神经病变的受试者提供可靠、精确的单个SG汗液分泌定量测量，以表征汗腺运动神经功能。该测试结合了现有汗腺运动功能测试的能力，同时还具备其他功能。
