Sweating disorders in patients with chronic migraine and chronic low back pain

Abstract

Introduction: Sweating is a healthy natural physiological phenomenon, with an essential role in thermoregulation and detoxification processes of the body. But there exist such phenomena as sweating disorders wich include: hypohidrosis, anhydrosis and hyperhidrosis. Purpose and objectives: The study of sweating disorders in patients with chronic migraine and chronic low back pain. (1) Evaluation of perspiration and sweating disorders in these patients. (2) Determination of hyperhidrosis action on quality of life. (3) Identification of anxiety and depression in chronic pain patients with hyperhidrosis. (4) Comparing sweating in higher humidity region for patients with chronic migraine, chronic low back pain and control group. Materials and methods: The study was conducted on a total of 40 patients aged between 20- 65 years, of which 20 patients (women) with chronic migraine (group I) and 20 patients (10 men and 10 women) with chronic low back pain (group II) and 10 healthy subjects aged between 25-58 years (group III). The study consisted of two parts, the first part included patients completing the questionnaires, based on their own subjective opinions. In the second study was conducted objectively, sweat gland function was examined by measuring skin moisture with a special device by "ARAM Huvis" in the following regions: center of the palm, foot, frontal region, left temple and right axillary and popliteal fossa, sternum, abdomen, lumbar and coccygeal regions. Results: Measuring the skin humidity was observed that these patients have a higher skin humidity than healthy group in all measured regions. In patients with chronic migraine the degree of skin moisture is higher in the frontal region and foot, while those with chronic low back pain have higher skin humidity in the axillary and popliteal fossa and lumbar region. Presented differences are statistically proven to P <0.05. Studying also the questionnaires Beck o f depression and Spilberger of anxiety were obtained the following results: the value of reactive anxiety in-group I was 29.95 1.42 ingroup II was 22.40 ± 1.16, being statistically significantly higher in the group with chronic migraine (P = 0.002 **). In group III reactive anxiety value was 1.56 18, which differs from group I and II, demonstrated statistically (between group III and II, P = 0.000 ***, and between group III and II, P = 0.001 ** *). Anxiety personality also presented significant statistical differences in group I 34.25 ± 2.2 22.15 ± 1.09 compared with group II (P = 0.000 ***) and also between Group I and ITT, group III value was 21.30 + 2.19 (P = 0.000 ***). Between group I and II statistical difference there is not as P> 0.05. Studying the questionnaire Beck we assessed the level of depression and found that there are significant statistical differences here between groups I-III (P = 0.000 ***) and II-III (P = 0.000 ***), the results were 9.65 ± 0 ,7 2 8.95 ± 0.60 versus group I group II group III 0.62 versus 4.60. Between group I and II statistical difference there is not as P> 0.05. Conclusions: Our study confirmed certainly that patients with chronic migraine and chronic low back pain manifest a higher degree of skin moisture than healthy people group, there existing significant statistical differences. Depression and anxiety scales analysis noted that patiens with migraine and low back pain are more anxious and the depressive syndrome is more pronounced compared to the control group.