Palmar Sweat Research Articles

Efficacy of 5% sofpironium bromide gel in Duchenne muscular dystrophy with palmoplantar hyperhidrosis: A retrospective case study.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe, progressive, muscle-wasting disease. Notably, several extramuscular manifestations and complications of advanced DMD, including skin disorders, are known. However, hyperhidrosis and its treatment have not been well-described in association with advanced DMD, therefore we aimed to confirm the efficacy of 5% sofpironium bromide gel in treating secondary hyperhidrosis in patients with advanced DMD. We retrospectively reviewed patients with advanced DMD who underwent treatment with 5% sofpironium bromide gel. All patients were evaluated using the hyperhidrosis disease severity scale (HDSS) score and by measuring the gravimetric weight of palmar and/or plantar sweat. Three patients with advanced DMD were treated and the patients were aged 28, 31, and 32 years, respectively. Their HDSS scores showed a decreasing tendency within 5 weeks after treatment. In addition, all patients had a decreased gravimetric weight of palmar and/or plantar sweat, and the mean decrease rate of palmar sweat at 7 weeks after treatment was 53.7%. One patient had skin dryness on both soles, but no serious adverse events were observed. Treatment using 5% sofpironium bromide gel showed beneficial efficacy against palmoplantar hyperhidrosis in patients with advanced DMD. These findings warrant further investigation in future studies.

A novel lotion formulation of 20% oxybutynin hydrochloride for the treatment of primary palmar hyperhidrosis: A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, phase III study

No previous controlled studies have been specifically designed or adequately powered to show the efficacy of topical oxybutynin for palmar hyperhidrosis by using quantitative measures. To evaluate efficacy of 20% oxybutynin hydrochloride lotion (20% OL) in reducing palmar sweat volume in patients with primary palmar hyperhidrosis (PPHH). In a randomized controlled trial, Japanese patients with PPHH aged 12years and older received either 20% OL (n=144) or placebo (n=140) on both palms once daily for 4weeks. Palmar sweat volume was measured by the ventilated capsule method. For the primary outcome, response was defined as a reduction of sweat volume of at least 50% from baseline. At week 4, the responder rate for sweat volume was significantly higher in the 20% OL arm than in the placebo arm (52.8% vs 24.3%, respectively; treatment difference, 28.5% [95% CI, 17.7% to 39.3%]; P<.001). No serious adverse events occurred, and no adverse events led to treatment discontinuation. The treatment period was only 4weeks. In patients with PPHH, 20% OL is superior to placebo in reducing palmar sweat volume.

Water Immersion Skin Wrinkling: The Influence Of Age, Sex, And Adiposity

From the evolutionary perspective, water immersion skin wrinkling (WISW) is the perceived water drainage to enhance grip in wet conditions. In modern medicine, it is a noninvasive test of limb sympathetic function and can be used to assess peripheral neuropathy. WISW occurs as sympathetically-mediated contraction of subcutaneous glomus bodies after perturbation of ion concentration in palmar sweat glands. This phenomenon has not been studied well and it is not clear if common demographic variations (e.g. age, sex, and adiposity) that impact overall cardio-autonomic health status also affect WISW. PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study is to determine if peak WISW is modulated by age, sex, and body adiposity, additionally, we addressed if this phenomenon is associated with osmotic reactions or edema. METHODS: So far 12 apparently healthy adults (5 females) aged 34.5±17.6 years were studied. Participants hands were submersed in 40°C water for 30 minutes with degree of wrinkling being assessed via 5-point scale (0 to 4) at 10-minute intervals. Final ratings for digits 2-5 were summed and used to determine peak WISW with a score of 16 being the highest and 0 being the lowest possible scores. Additionally, hand and forearm volume were measured via water displacement before and after submersion to quantify hand volume expansion. RESULTS: Peak WISW ranged from 5 to 16 with the mean (±SEM) score of 13.2±1.3. Peak WISW was moderately correlated with age (r=-0.54), BMI (r=-0.39), body fat percentage (r=-0.51). Males demonstrated a greater degree of WISW with a mean rating of 16 compared with females with a mean rating of 9 (p<0.01). Hand and forearm volume did not change with water immersion (497±29 vs. 500±30 ml). Changes in hand and forearm volume were not associated with peak WISW (r=-0.03). CONCLUSION: The preliminary results indicate that water immersion skin wrinkling varies widely with age, sex, and body adiposity and is not associated with edema or osmotic reactions.

Distinguishing hyperhidrosis and normal physiological sweat production: new data and review of hyperhidrosis data for 1980-2013.

Hyperhidrosis is a condition in which the production of sweat is abnormally increased. No objective criteria for the diagnosis of hyperhidrosis exist, mainly because reference intervals for normal physiological sweat production at rest are unknown. The main objective of this study was to establish reference intervals for normal physiological axillary and palmar sweat production. Gravimetric testing was performed in 75 healthy control subjects. Subsequently, these results were compared with findings in a cohort of patients with hyperhidrosis and with the results derived from a review of data on hyperhidrosis published between 1980 and 2013. Approximately 90% of the controls had axillary and palmar sweat production rates of below 100 mg/5 min. In all except one of the axillary and palmar hyperhidrosis studies reviewed, average sweat production exceeded 100 mg/5 min. A sweat production rate of 100 mg/5 min as measured by gravimetric testing may be a reasonable cut-off value for distinguishing axillary and palmar hyperhidrosis from normal physiological sweat production.

Sudomotor and Cardiovascular Dysfunction in Patients with Early Untreated Parkinson's Disease

According to Braak staging of Parkinson's disease (PD), detection of autonomic dysfunction would help with early diagnosis of PD. To determine whether the autonomic nervous system is involved in the early stage of PD, we evaluated cardiovascular and sudomotor function in early untreated PD patients. Orthostatic blood pressure regulation, heart rate variability, skin vasomotor function, and palmar sympathetic sweat responses were examined in 50 early untreated PD patients and 20 healthy control subjects. The mean decrease in systolic blood pressure during head-up tilt in PD patients was mildly but significantly larger than in controls (p = 0.0001). There were no differences between the 2 groups in heart rate variability, with analysis of low frequency (LF; mediated by baroreflex feedback), and high frequency (HF; mainly reflecting parasympathetic vagal) modulation. However, LF/HF, an index of sympatho-parasympathetic balance, was lower in the PD group than in controls (p = 0.02). Amplitudes of palmar sweat responses to deep inspiration (p = 0.004), mental arithmetic (p = 0.01), and exercise (p = 0.01) in PD patients were lower than in controls, with negative correlations with motor severity. Amplitudes of palmar skin vasomotor reflexes in PD patients did not differ from controls. Our study indicates impairment of sympathetic cardiovascular and sudomotor function with orthostatic dysregulation of blood pressure control, reduced LF/HF and reduction in palm sweat responses even in early untreated PD patients.

Stress-Induced Alterations of Left-Right Electrodermal Activity Coupling Indexed by Pointwise Transinformation

In this study, we tested the hypothesis that experimental stress induces a specific change of left-right electrodermal activity (EDA) coupling pattern, as indexed by pointwise transinformation (PTI). Further, we hypothesized that this change is associated with scores on psychometric measures of the chronic stress-related psychopathology. Ninety-nine university students underwent bilateral measurement of EDA during rest and stress-inducing Stroop test and completed a battery of self-report measures of chronic stress-related psychopathology. A significant decrease in the mean PTI value was the prevalent response to the stress conditions. No association between chronic stress and PTI was found. Raw scores of psychometric measures of stress-related psychopathology had no effect on either the resting levels of PTI or the amount of stress-induced PTI change. In summary, acute stress alters the level of coupling pattern of cortico-autonomic influences on the left and right sympathetic pathways to the palmar sweat glands. Different results obtained using the PTI, EDA laterality coefficient, and skin conductance level also show that the PTI algorithm represents a new analytical approach to EDA asymmetry description.

Early recognition of hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia

Hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (HED) is characterized by severe hypohidrosis, hypoplasia of sweat, sebaceous, submucous, meibomian and mammary glands, hypotrichosis, and oligodontia. In early childhood, HED is a life-threatening disorder based on the risks for hyperthermia and pneumonia. Awareness of the hazards related to this rare genetic disease is most helpful in preventing avoidable calamities. Prognosis therefore depends on the time point of diagnosis. Typical facial features (frontal bossing, sparse eyebrows and eyelashes, wrinkling and hyperpigmentation of the periorbital skin, saddle nose, everted lips, hypoplastic mandible) may allow immediate postnatal recognition of HED, if the disease is known to the family or the doctor. Molecular analysis of one or more of the 4 candidate genes EDA, EDAR, EDARADD and NEMO can then be arranged to make a definitive diagnosis. Infants with HED may also be identified by their inability to sweat. A survey conducted among parents of 100 children with ectodermal dysplasia registered with the German-Swiss-Austrian patient support group revealed that almost all parents had observed episodes of unexplained fever during the first year of life. If infants had to be placed in an incubator after birth, body temperature recording proved to be of utmost importance and often allowed early clinical diagnosis of HED. Furthermore, recent studies of our group confirmed a consistent, quantifiable defect of sweat gland function in male individuals with HED as a disease biomarker. Pilocarpine-induced sweat volume, palmar or plantar sweat duct density and skin conductance before and after stimulation were determined also in newborn infants. Genotype-phenotype correlation was seen across all measurements of sweat gland function, but, surprisingly, not with respect to the number of sweat glands (which can be determined very soon after birth) and the degree of oligodontia (diagnosable already by prenatal ultrasonography). This is important, since such easily recognizable signs obviously do not allow prediction of the risk of hyperthermia and the associated morbidity and mortality in HED patients.

Sweating ability and genotype in individuals with X-linked hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia

BackgroundX-linked hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (XLHED), the most common type of ectodermal dysplasia, is caused by EDA gene mutations. Reduced sweating contributes substantially to XLHED associated morbidity and mortality. To characterise...

Moistened Hands Do Not Necessarily Allude to High Quality Fingerprints: The Relationship Between Palmar Moisture and Fingerprint Donorship

We explored the quality distribution of ninhydrin-developed prints on A4 bond paper in two groups of individuals, in Israel and in India. While the quality distributions of the developed marks in both countries had some dissimilarities, both groups showed the expected bell-shape distribution, with the majority of the donors belonging to the central zone, defined as "average" or "good." Attempt was made to correlate between a physiological feature, palmar moisture, and the fingerprint donorship. As a rule, high fingermark quality could be associated with sweating hands, but there were individuals with moist palms whose fingermarks had a low score and vice versa. This finding supports the logical but hitherto unproven assumption that besides the amount of palmar sweat, the other physiological factor governing the prints' quality is the total amount of substrate, amino acids in this case, in the latent deposits, which depends on the substrate concentration in the sweat.

Electrodermal Recordings During Human Orgasm

Abstract We tested the hypothesis that palmar sweat glands activation is expressed every time a mass sympathetic activation takes place. We performed (i) eleven palmar electrodermal recordings during sexual intercourse and orgasm of one male and one female student, (ii) 4 palmar electrodermal recordings plus heart rate during sexual intercourse and orgasm of the same couple, and (iii) 3 plantar electrodermal recordings during masturbation and ejaculation of 3 male students. High palmar electodermal activity was recorded during sexual intercourse but small during orgasm. The higher value of heart rate was recorded at the moment of orgasm. Sizeable plantar electodermal response was recorded during ejaculation after masturbation. We concluded that the palmar sweat glands activation cannot be considered as an indiscriminate following of sympathetic discharge.

Identification of firearms handling by the [Fe(PDT) 3] 2+ complex: Chemical and time-dependent factors

Handling of a gun results in the formation of invisible impressions, caused by transfer of iron traces to the skin surface. Visualization of these impressions is possible by spraying the palms with a solution of 3-(2-pyridyl)-5,6-diphenyl-1,2,4-triazine (PDT), which forms a magenta complex with iron(II) residues. Hence, mark intensity is directly related to the amounts of iron transferred to the palm. Palmar sweat plays a major role in iron transfer from the firearm to the hand. More factors, however, are involved in this process. Three time-dependent factors have been studied with relation to their effect on the developed mark: the gripping duration of the weapon; the time elapsed from the contact; and the rate of iron dissolution in aqueous solutions containing sweat components in physiological concentrations. We found that the amounts of iron transferred to the palm depend on both, the gripping period and the levels of palmar moisture. Thus, only a few seconds of gripping were required for developing good marks (corresponding to 80 ng cm −2 of iron) on highly-moistured hands, much longer gripping periods were necessary for developing marks of similar intensity on relatively dry hands. Experiments that aimed at studying the effect of sweat components on metallic iron dissolution were carried out in aqueous solutions. It was found that chloride ions in physiological concentrations remarkably enhanced the dissolution, while l-serine, the major amino acid in palmar sweat, had a detrimental effect on this process. Urea, another sweat component, had only a minor effect on the dissolution rate.

Low and high frequency acupuncture stimulation inhibits mental stress-induced sweating in humans via different mechanisms

The effects of acupuncture stimulation at 5 Hz and 100 Hz on mental stress-induced sweating were analyzed, and the mechanisms involved were examined using the rate of sweat expulsion as an estimate of central sudomotor outflow. Mental arithmetic was imposed on 25 young healthy volunteers for 2 min before, during and after the stimulation. Acupuncture stimulation was delivered to either the Zusanli (leg) or Hegu (hand) acupoint, and the sweat rate was measured quantitatively during mental arithmetic on the palm or the sole, respectively. When stimulation at 5 Hz was applied to the Zusanli acupoint, the palmar sweat rate (paSR), rate of sweat expulsion (Fsw) and paSR/Fsw were reduced during the stimulation, whereas when it was applied to the Hegu acupoint, plantar SR (plSR) and Fsw were reduced, but plSR/Fsw was not altered. When stimulation at 100 Hz was applied to Zusanli, paSR and paSR/Fsw were reduced, but Fsw was unchanged whereas when it was applied to Hegu, neither plSR, Fsw nor plSR/Fsw was altered. The results suggest that acupuncture stimulation at 5 Hz affects both the supraspinal rhythm-generating mechanism and the mechanisms situated below (probably the spinal cord), whereas stimulation at 100 Hz only affects the mechanisms below the rhythm-generating mechanism. Thus, acupuncture stimulation at 5 Hz and at 100 Hz may reduce mental stress-induced sweating through different mechanisms.

Randomisierte, plazebokontrollierte klinische Doppelblindstudie zur Wirksamkeit und Verträglichkeit der oralen Therapie mit Methantheliniumbromid (Vagantin®) bei fokaler Hyperhidrose

Zusammenfassung Hintergrund: Methantheliniumbromid (Vagantin®) ist ein quarternäres Ammoniumderivat mit anticholinerger Wirkung, das seit 1951 als orales Therapeutikum bei fokaler Hyperhidrose eingesetzt wird. Daten zur Wirksamkeit und Sicherheit lagen bisher nur in Form von Fallberichten und Fallserien vor. Wir berichten über die Ergebnisse der ersten randomisierten klinisch plazebokontrollierten Doppelblindstudie zur Wirksamkeit und Sicherheit dieses Präparates. Patienten/Material und Methoden: Insgesamt wurden 41 Patienten (davon 31 (76 %) weiblich) mit einem mittleren Alter (± Standardabweichung) von 28 ± 9,8 Jahren (Spannweite 18,7 – 54,8) in die Studie eingeschlossen. Voraussetzung für einen Studieneinschluß waren eine seit mindestens einem Jahr bestehende fokale Hyperhidrose der Achseln und/oder der Hände und deren gravimetrisch gemessene Schweißproduktion von mindestens 50 mg/min. Die Patienten erhielten täglich über 4 Wochen 2 × 50 mg Methantheliniumbromid bzw. Plazebo p. o. Zur Kontrolle des Therapieeffektes wurde zum einen die Schweißproduktion vor und unter Therapie bestimmt sowie die subjektive Zufriedenheit der Patienten mit der Therapie erfragt. Ergebnisse: Der Nachweis der Wirksamkeit gelang vor allem für Patienten mit gravimetrisch gesicherter axillärer Hyperhidrose von ≥ 50 mg pro min vor Therapie. Hier fanden sich unter Therapie deutliche Unterschiede zwischen Verum und Plazebo (p = 0,02, χ2‐Test, zweiseitig).Für die Gesamtgruppe zeigte sich für den Bereich der Achseln eine signifikante Verminderung der gravimetrischen Schweißproduktion in der Verumgruppe von 89,2 ± 73,4 mg/min vor Therapie auf 53,3 ± 48,7 mg/min unter Therapie (p = 0,02, Wilcoxon‐Test, zweiseitig), wohingegen in der Plazebogruppe die Meßwerte mit 60,7 ± 42,8 mg/min vor Therapie und 59,1 ± 40,6 mg/min unter Therapie nahezu unverändert blieben (p = 0,92, Wilcoxon‐Test, zweiseitig). Im Bereich der Hände konnten keine Unterschiede zwischen der Verum‐ und der Plazebogruppe gefunden werden.Während der gesamten Studiendauer traten keine schwerwiegenden unerwünschten Ereignisse auf. Einzige signifikante Nebenwirkung war die in der Verumgruppe zu erwartende Mundtrockenheit als bekannte Nebenwirkung oraler Anticholinergika. Diskussion: Methantheliniumbromid wird seit Jahren in der Behandlung der fokalen Hyperhidrose verwendet. Bisher lagen zur Wirksamkeit und Sicherheit jedoch keine größeren Studien vor. In dieser Arbeit konnte erstmals in einer klinischen Studie eine Verminderung der Schweißproduktion im Bereich der Achseln bei guter Verträglichkeit nachgewiesen werden. Die Therapie der fokalen axillären Hyperhidrose mit Methantheliniumbromid 2 × 50 mg/d p. o. kann deshalb empfohlen werden. Vor allem in den Fällen, in denen eine alleinige Lokaltherapie mit z. B. Aluminiumchloridhexahydratlösung sich als wenig wirksam erweist. Im Bereich der Hände konnte keine klinisch relevante Wirkung nachgewiesen werden.

Arithmetic calculation, deep inspiration or handgrip exercise-mediated pre-operational active palmar sweating responses in humans

We examined the effects of repetitive mental stimulation such as arithmetic calculations with sequential subtraction or physical tasks such as handgrip exercise and deep breathing on active palmar sweating responses in humans. Thirty-three healthy, male and female volunteer students (20.4±2.1 years) participated in the present study. The responses of active palmar sweating were evaluated by using the newly developed ratemeter. The galvanic skin response (GSR) was also recorded in 10 out of 33 subjects. The oral explanation of the stimulation or tasks caused a rapid and wavy active palmar sweating response. The pre-operational responses of active palmar sweating to the stimulation or tasks were also observed by the GSR recording. The mental stimulation- and physical tasks-mediated pre-operational responses were significantly reduced by the trials. The mental stimulation or physical tasks also caused a rapid and oscillatory response of active palmar sweating during operation of the stimulation or tasks. The operation-mediated responses to physical tasks were observed ipsilaterally and contralaterally. The physical task-mediated responses were also reproducible, resulting in no habituation. In contrast, the operation-mediated responses to mental stimulation were reduced significantly by the trials, resulting in a marked habituation. The findings suggest that the mental stimulation- and physical tasks-mediated pre-operational responses of active palmar sweating obtained by using the newly developed ratemeter will make useful tests for evaluating neuronal activity of limbic system including amygdala, sympathetic sudomotor activity in the palmar skin and functional properties of the palmar sweat glands.

Influence of isometric exercise on blood flow and sweating in glabrous and nonglabrous human skin.

The distribution of the reflex effects of isometric exercise on cutaneous vasomotor and sudomotor function is not clear. We examined the effects of isometric exercise by different muscle masses on skin blood flow (SkBF) and sweat rate (SR) in nonglabrous skin and in glabrous skin. The latter contains arteriovenous anastomoses (AVAs), which cause large fluctuations in SkBF. SkBF was measured by laser-Doppler flowmetry (LDF) and reported as cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC; LDF/mean arterial pressure). SR was measured by capacitance hygrometry. LDF and SR were measured at the sole, palm, forearm, and ventral leg during separate bouts of isometric handgrip (IHG) and isometric leg extension (ILE). CVC and its standard deviation decreased significantly during IHG and ILE in the palm and sole (P < 0.05) but not in the forearm or leg (P > 0.05). Only palmar SR increased significantly during IHG and ILE (P < 0.05). We conclude that the major reflex influences of isometric exercise on the skin include AVAs and palmar sweat glands and that this is true for both arm and leg exercise.

Habituation of cognitive and physiological arousal and social anxiety

This study examined differences in habituation between high and low socially anxious Ss. Participants gave three impromptu speeches, each separated by a brief rest interval. Skin conductance and heart rate were monitored during the speeches. Following each speech participants completed self-ratings of nervousness, heart rate, and palmar sweat activity as well as a modified Social Interaction Self Statement Test. Low anxious controls showed significant reduction of negative expectations and self-reported nervousness, heart rate, and sweat activity across the three trials. Actual heart rate of low-anxious subjects also decreased significantly across trials. In contrast, high anxious subjects did not evidence significant decreases in any of the above measures of anxiety and stress across the three trials. Skin conductance measures increased across trials for both groups, but increased more for the high anxious group than low-anxious controls. Results indicate that high anxiety participants are slow to decrease cognitive and autonomic responsiveness to stressful social situations.

PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES IN COLLEGIATE POLE VAULTERS, AN INVESTIGATION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL, BIOMECHANICAL, AND PHYSIOLOGICAL VARIABLES 1243

The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychological, biomechanical, and physiological differences in collegiate pole vaulters during competition. Four healthy male subjects were recruited from the Southern Connecticut State University Track and Field Team to participate in the study. Subjects were measured during four separate meets on ten different variables: a) self-efficacy; b) state-trait anxiety; c) velocity of take-off; d) angle of take-off; e) number of attempts at height, f) jump number; g) successful and non-successful vaults; h) palmar sweat index; i) heart rate; and j) vault height. Two linear and two stepwise discriminant analyses of variance were performed to determine statistical significance. The results indicated that angle of take-off and vault height influenced successful and non-successful attempts. Self-efficacy, heart rate, jump number, state-trait anxiety, attempt number and angle of take-off were significant in determining height groups.

Changes in the number of active sweat glands (palmar sweat index, PSI) during a distressing film

Changes of the number of active palmar sweat glands (palmar sweat index, PSI) as assessed by the plastic finger-print method were studied in two groups of female students ( n = 21 each). In both samples experiments involved an initial adaptation period, several relaxation phases and an activation period (presentation of a movie). The film was shown 10 min earlier in Group 1, for which in turn follow-up was twice as long. Prints for determination of PSI were taken every 2.5 min from the forefinger and ring finger of the left hand, and recordings of SCL, SF (number of spontaneous fluctuations) and HR were made during the corresponding intervals. Both within-and between-groups comparisons showed an increase of PSI during the activation period and a decrease afterwards. Similar effects were observed for SCL, SF and affective and somatic arousal assessed by a state questionnaire. A decrease of PSI and parameters of electrodermal activity during the first measurements indicated an initial reaction to the assessment procedure itself. Both within-subject and between-subjects correlations between PSI from both fingers showed high parallel test reliabilities, while correlations with electrodermal variables indicated a common physiological basis.

Interleukin-1 alpha in human sweat is functionally active and derived from the eccrine sweat gland.

We wished to establish the presence of interleukin-1 (IL-1) in human sweat (5) and clarify its origin and mechanism of secretion. IL-1 alpha concentration ([IL-1 alpha]) in clean sweat from the back increased with the sweat rate, plateauing at the maximal sweat rate ([IL-1 alpha]max). The mean [IL-1 alpha]max was 545 pg/ml (n = 17) for men and 1,324 pg/ml for women in back sweat. The mean [IL-1 alpha]max for axillary sweat in men was 1,568 (n = 6). Palmar sweat was 9.2 ng/ml (n = 5) for IL-1 alpha and 7.9 ng/ml for IL-1 beta. [IL-1 alpha]max decreased to one-third that of the first sweat test, when second sauna sweat tests were conducted after 2 h of continuous sweating on the same day. Western blot analysis of the purified sweat IL-1 alpha fraction revealed bands at 17, 29, and 33 kDa. Immunoreactive IL-1 alpha was localized mainly in the secretory coil lumen, intercellular canaliculi, cytoplasm, mitochondria, and near plasma membranes. Polymerase chain reaction revealed the presence of IL-1 alpha mRNA in the sweat gland and in cultured human eccrine secretory coil cells. Both sweat IL-1 alpha and human recombinant IL-1 alpha at 500 pg/ml strongly stimulated interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 production in cultured fibroblasts. We conclude that the IL-1 alpha-like immunoreactive substance in sweat is IL-1 alpha itself, is derived from the sweat gland, and is biologically active at concentrations normally present in fresh sweat.

The relationship of sweat gland count to electrodermal activity.

This study assessed whether greater skin conductance activity at the distal versus medial site (Scerbo, Freedman, Raine, Dawson, & Venables, 1992) is attributable to a greater number of active (open) sweat glands at the distal site. The number of sweat glands was measured using the Palmar Sweat Index (PSI). Twenty-four subjects were exposed to 10 auditory stimuli. Electrodes were placed on the fore and middle fingers of each hand, using distal sites on one hand and medial sites on the other. The PSI was measured at the medial and distal phalanges adjacent to the electrode placement sites. The distal site contained more open and total sweat glands. Open gland count had the strongest correlations with skin conductance. Multivariate analyses of covariance revealed that site effects for nonspecific and orienting response frequency and trials to habituation were associated with site differences in open glands. Skin conductance measures and the PSI reveal greater electrodermal activity at the distal site. In addition, the number of open glands may be a useful measure related to electrodermal response frequency when polygraph measurement is unavailable.