Sympathetic skin response in psoriasis and vitiligo

The sympathetic skin response (SSR) which is considered to be one of the in dexes of peripheral autonomic nerve function, especially evaluates sudomoto r function of unmyelinated sympathetic fibers. This noninvasive technique h as been studied in various neurological disorders particularly in periphera l neuropathies and also in some dermatological disorders associated with ne rvous system involvement. However, literature lacks sufficient data regardi ng SSR in immunologically mediated skin disorders. We enrolled patients wit h vitiligo and psoriasis to determine the possible effects of these disorde rs on SSR. Examination of SSR was performed in 30 patients with psoriasis a nd 15 patients with vitiligo as well as in 23 healthy volunteers as control s. Right and left median nerves were stimulated successively and responses were recorded from the palms simultaneously. SSR could be obtained from eve ry subject. The groups were not statistically different for the values of t he latency, the amplitude, and the area under the negative component of SSR . Our results indicated that vitiligo and psoriasis did not have any signif icant effects on SSR. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.