Volume 172, Issue 2 pp. 412-418

Clinical and Laboratory Investigations

Abnormal sweating patterns associated with itching, burning and tingling of the skin indicate possible underlying small-fibre neuropathy

S. Flores,

S. Flores

Department of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN, 55905 U.S.A

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M.D.P. Davis,

Corresponding Author

M.D.P. Davis

Department of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN, 55905 U.S.A

Correspondence

Mark D.P. Davis.

E-mails: [email protected]

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M.R. Pittelkow,

M.R. Pittelkow

Department of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN, 55905 U.S.A

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN, 55905 U.S.A

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P. Sandroni,

P. Sandroni

Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN, 55905 U.S.A

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A.L. Weaver,

A.L. Weaver

Division of Biomedical Statistics and Informatics, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN, 55905 U.S.A

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R.D. Fealey,

R.D. Fealey

Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN, 55905 U.S.A

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S. Flores,

S. Flores

Department of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN, 55905 U.S.A

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M.D.P. Davis,

Corresponding Author

M.D.P. Davis

Department of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN, 55905 U.S.A

Correspondence

Mark D.P. Davis.

E-mails: [email protected]

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M.R. Pittelkow,

M.R. Pittelkow

Department of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN, 55905 U.S.A

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN, 55905 U.S.A

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P. Sandroni,

P. Sandroni

Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN, 55905 U.S.A

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A.L. Weaver,

A.L. Weaver

Division of Biomedical Statistics and Informatics, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN, 55905 U.S.A

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R.D. Fealey,

R.D. Fealey

Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN, 55905 U.S.A

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First published: 18 January 2015

https://doi.org/10.1111/bjd.13576

Citations: 10

Funding sources None.

Conflicts of interest None declared.

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Summary

Background

Itching, burning, numbness and tingling of the skin are frequent reasons for dermatology consultation. We hypothesized that these sensations may be attributable to a small-fibre neuropathy. Sweating, which is mediated by small nerve fibres, may be a surrogate marker of small-fibre neuropathy.

Objectives

To investigate the results of thermoregulatory sweat testing (TST), which depicts and estimates whole-body sweating, in patients with itching, burning, numbness and tingling sensations.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 227 patients with itching, burning, numbness and tingling sensations involving the skin who were seen at our institution during 2008 and also underwent TST.

Results

The mean age of the cohort was 54 years (range 3–89), and 58% were female. In all, 149 patients (66%) had abnormal TST results; in 119 (80%) of these patients the areas of anhidrosis on TST corresponded to their symptomatic areas. For each symptom analysed separately, the area of anhidrosis correlated with the area of symptoms in most patients.

Conclusions

Patients with burning, itching, numbness and tingling have abnormal sweating patterns and often do not sweat in the symptomatic areas. These novel findings suggest that a small-fibre neuropathy may underlie many cutaneous symptoms and that the neuropathy can be estimated using TST.

References

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Volume172, Issue2

February 2015

Pages 412-418

Abnormal sweating patterns associated with itching, burning and tingling of the skin indicate possible underlying small-fibre neuropathy

Summary

Background

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusions

References

Citing Literature

References

Information

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Abnormal sweating patterns associated with itching, burning and tingling of the skin indicate possible underlying small-fibre neuropathy

Summary

Background

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusions

References

Citing Literature

References

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