Studies of Sweat, Lipids, and Histopathology in Children with ”Dry Skin” (Xerosis)

On Some Characteristics and Biologic Functions of the Skin Surface

“…It is rather the quantity and differing com ponents of the lipids produced by the sebaceous glands which con tribute the required bulkiness, as well as the im portant protective and softening qualities of the film. This was evidenced by our obser vations in patients with localized or universal, relative or absolute asteatosis [18]. As is well known, defects of the sebaceous organ ma\ be acquired as the result of toxic damage to the glands; or they may be inherent when sebaceous gland development is genetically re tarded, deficient, or completely absent.…”

“…In the group suffering from the acquired form we have had the opportunity to study adults with complete effacement of the sebaceous organ practically all over the body surface (the sweat organ being less extensively damaged), caused by a clearly selective action of arsenic (INeoarsphenamine) and/or gold (Figs, la , lb ). In a group of children with xerotic skin we observed a similar dystrophy of the sebaceous glands which apparently was the cause of the skin ailment -retarded development of the already norm ally small glands, a kind of " ectodermal defect" , asteatotic type -, and a feature of atopic derm atitis in others [18].…”

“…Understandably, in conditions of this kind the ordinary tests for sweating at the skin surface show only weak or negative residts. We therefore designated this effect as "pseudoanhidrosis" (Sulzberger, Herrmann, Morrill, Pascher and Miller [18], Any aqueous contents will also leave such horny layers faster by evaporation. Clinically, the skin surface is dry, scaly, pruritic, and often erythem atous.…”

Decreased lactate and potassium levels in natural moisturizing factor from the stratum corneum of mild atopic dermatitis patients are involved with the reduced hydration state

“…In fact, the sweat function in AD is decreased [35,36] and water loss due to sweating in a hot environment is decreased in AD patients because of the impaired response to environmental heat to stimulate sweating [35]. Moreover, it was reported that in diseased skin, such as AD, xerosis and psoriasis, sweat duct obstruction accompanying the hyperkeratosis also brings about the retention of sweat in the ducts which disturbs sweat delivery [37,38]. AD skin has an abnormal SC structure with hyperkeratosis [21], parakeratosis [39], and thickened [40] and smaller corneocytes [14], all of which might lead to the obstruction of sweat pores.…”

Die Rolle der Schweiβ-Sekretion beim atopischen Ekzem im Kindesalter

“…SAXL Die E ntstehung der Hautm anifestation der atopischen Derm atitis ist Gegenstand einer Reihe von Arbeitshypothesen. Es ist wahr scheinlich, daß die Morphe des endogenen Ekzems der Neurodermitis durch einen Mechanismus verm ittelt wird, in dem einerseits vaskuläre Erscheinungen [1], wie verspätetes Auslösen des Auslöschphänomens (Delayed-blanch-Phänomen) nach Acetylcholin [2,3,4], atypische Reaktion nach Nikotinsäureestern [5,6,7,8,9], andererseits Abwei chungen in der Schweißabsonderung der ekkrinen Schweißdrüsen (Hypohidrosc, Bradyhidrose) [10] und Veränderungen im Verhor nungsprozeß und in der Talgbildung (Symptom der trockenen H aut, der Kerose, Xerose, dry skin) [11,12,13] eine Rolle spielen. Es ist bisher fraglich, ob die ursprüngliche Ursache der Neurodermitis Reaginbindung in der H aut [14,15,16] und durch immunologische Reaktion hervorgerufenes Jucken [17,18] oder eine durch Schweiß retention verursachte Mikroinjektion von Antigenen in die Epidermis ist [19].…”