Generalized anhidrosis.

A nhidrosis is defined as a condition where perspiration does not occur despite adequate and sufficient impulse. 1 This condition may be encountered as localized or diffuse through the whole body. The amount of perspiration caused by temperature, pharmacological agents, and other factors may differ inter-personally. Generalized anhidrosis may be as a result of blockage of the canals of the perspiratory glands, lack of perspiratory glands, diabetes mellitus, neuropathies, CNS lesions, Sjögren's syndrome, or Fabry's disease. Idiopathic acquired anhidrosis cases are observed very rarely, and the mechanism of these is not yet known. A 42-year-old male patient presented with lack of perspiration for 16 years and excessive discomfort to heat. His skin was dry, and his skin color was normal when attending the clinic. He had a body temperature of 36 o C, pulse rate of 85 bpm, and blood pressure of 110/80 mm Hg. Systemic physical examination and neurologic examination were normal. Increased blood glucose was found on biochemical assessments. His ECG and chest x-ray, brain and hypophysis MR imaging, electromyography, and sympathetic skin responses were all evaluated as normal. Perspiratory gland biopsy was carried out to assess the perspiratory glands, and they were evaluated as normal morphology. There was no history of drug usage or family members with the same complaints. Anhidrosis occurs due to the loss of the perspiration ability of some regions or the whole the body. The perspiratory glands are surrounded with post-ganglionic unmyelinated C type nerve fibers. The neurotransmitter is acetylcholine for the nervous transduction of perspiratory glands. 2 Impulses emerge by stimulation of thermosensitive neurons at the front hypothalamus and preoptic area, and are transferred to the medulla spinalis via the autonomous nervous system and to the perspiratory glands of the skin. 1 Perspiration disorders are seen in 3 different pictures as a decrease of perspiration, total lack, or increased perspiration. The amount of perspiration caused by temperature, pharmacological agents, and other factors may differ inter-personally. This results in a subjective diagnosis of perspiration disorders. 1 If anhidrosis is limited to a small part of the body, it usually does not cause any complaints. However, the complaint of a patient with anhidrosis over a great proportion of the body is not anhidrosis, but hyperhidrosis at the intact body parts in order to regulate body temperature during hot weather. 3 If anhidrosis does not allow the regulation of body temperature then the classical symptoms …