01764nas a2200241   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653002900055653001400084653001600098653001100114653001200125653001700137653001300154100001200167700001100179245006600190300001100256490000700267050003200274520120200306022001401508       1982                            d  c1982 Jul10aAutonomic Nervous System10aCarbachol10aEpinephrine10aHumans10aleprosy10aSweat Glands10aSweating1 aBoyle A1 aRamu G00aAssessment of cutaneous autonomic nerve functions in leprosy.  a518-240 v54  aInfolep Library - available3 a<p>31 cases of established leprosy were studied for sweat response to acetylcholine and adrenaline injected intradermally and compared with normal areas of skin on the contralateral side in a total of 40 lesions. Sweating was measured by counting the number of blue dots which appeared on the yellow back ground of a filter paper soaked in 1% Bromophenol blue solution which represented sweat pores, whereas there was decreased, or absent sweat response in 31 lesions, there was an increased response in to acetylcholine in 7 lesions, and normal response in 2 lesions. Sweat response to adrenaline was obtained in 29 lesions. It was increased in 13 lesions all of which were anaesthetic or analgesic. Adrenergic sweating in these cases is probably a result of direct effect of adrenaline on sweat glands. Biopsy sections of 20 cases were reviewed for the histological appearance of the nerves. It was found that out of the cases who showed increased sweat response 1 had partially destroyed nerves while 2 others had intact nerves. Sweat function tests are of limited value in the diagnosis of leprosy and some autonomic function may continue in leprosy despite loss of somatic nerve function.</p>  a0024-1024