Sweating impairment in patients with multiple sclerosis.

OBJECTIVES

To measure sweating in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Sweating was measured by an evaporimeter after a heating stimulus in 29 MS patients and in 15 healthy control subjects.

RESULTS

The MS patients sweated markedly less than the controls. After 10 min of heating the sweating was significantly lower in the forehead (P = 0.034), feet (right, P = 0.033; left, P = 0.037) and legs (right, P = 0.043; left, P = 0.029) of the MS patients than in those of the controls. After 15 min of heating the difference was statistically significant only in the feet (right, P = 0.043; left, P = 0.029). The Expanded Disability Status Scale score correlated inversely with sweating at 15 min of heating in the left hand (r = 0.42, P < 0.05), and in the left (r = 0.36, P < 0.05) and right foot (r = 0.37, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

MS is associated with an impairment in thermoregulatory sweating which seems to be related to the disease severity.