Decreased Sudomotor Function is Involved in the Formation of Atopic Eczema in the Cubital Fossa

ORIGINAL ARTICLE doi:10.2332/allergolint.13-OA-0547 Aya Takahashi, Hiroyuki Murota, Saki Matsui, Akiko Kijima, Shun Kitaba, Jeong-Beom Lee and Ichiro Katayama [About this authors] ABSTRACT Background: Eczema in the cubital fossa, which is susceptible to sweat, is frequently observed in atopic dermatitis (AD). However, there has been no direct evidence that sweating causes eczema in the cubital fossa. Methods: To investigate this issue, axon reflex-mediated sweating volume (AXR) and skin barrier function in the cubital fossa were measured in subjects with AD and in healthy volunteers, and were applied to clinical feature of the cubital fossa. Results: AXR in the cubital fossa decreased in AD subjects; it positively correlated only with water-holding capacity in healthy subjects but not in patients with in AD. Furthermore, AD subjects with lichenoid eczema and either prurigo or papules over the cubital fossa showed extremely decreased AXR. Conclusions: These results suggest that decreased sweating is a major source of water in the stratum corneum, and decreased sudomotor function may be involved in both the cause and aggravation of representative atopic eczema in the cubital fossa. KEY WORDS: atopic dermatitis, exacerbation, homeostasis, skin barrier function, sweating Received: 15 February 2013. Accepted: 29 May 2013. Allergology International 2013; 62: 473-478 [Full Text] [Full Text PDF (393k)]