Body mapping of sweating patterns of pre-pubertal children during intermittent exercise in a warm environment

Purpose To determine sweating responses of pre-pubertal children during intermittent exercise in a warm environment and create whole-body maps of regional sweat rate (RSRs) distribution across the body. Methods Thirteen pre-pubertal children; six girls and seven boys (8.1 ± 0.8 years) took part. Sweat was collected using the technical absorbent method in the last 5 min of a 30-min intermittent exercise protocol performed at 30 ℃, 40% relative humidity and 2 m·s−1 frontal wind. Results Mean gross sweat loss (GSL) was 126 ± 47 g·m−2·h−1 and metabolic heat production was 278 ± 50 W·m2. The lower anterior torso area had the lowest RSR with a median (IQR) sweat rate (SR) of 40 (32) g·m−2·h−1. The highest was the forehead with a median SR of 255 (163) g·m−2·h−1. Normalised sweat maps (the ratio of each region’s SR to the mean SR for all measured pad regions) showed girls displayed lower ratio values at the anterior and posterior torso, and higher ratios at the hands, feet and forehead compared to boys. Absolute SRs were similar at hands and feet, but girls sweated less in most other areas, even after correction for metabolic rate. Conclusion Pre-pubertal children have different RSRs across the body, also showing sex differences in sweat distribution. Distributions differ from adults. Hands and feet RSR remain stable, but SR across other body areas increase with maturation. These data can increase specificity of models of human thermoregulation, improve the measurement accuracy of child-sized thermal manikins, and aid companies during product design and communication.

Influence of Pubertal Stage on Local Sweating Patterns of Girls Exercising in the Heat

The influence of puberty on sweating patterns of girls exercising in the heat is not known. Nine- to 17-year-old girls, representing 4 stages of breast development: T1 (n = 21); T2 (n = 22); T3 (n = 25); and T4 (n = 22), cycled for 20 min at 60% in 35 °C. The population density of heat activated sweat glands was higher in T1 vs T3 and T4 and in T2 vs T4. Sweat drop area was lower in T1 vs T3 and in T1 vs T4, T2 vs T4 and T3 vs T4. The proportion of skin covered by sweat was lower in T1 vs T4. Sweating patterns of girls exercising in the heat are influenced by pubertal stage.

The Effect of Upper-Limb Dominance on Forearm Sweating Patterns in Children and Adolescents with Cerebral Palsy

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of upper-limb dominance on the forearm sweating pattern in cerebral palsy (CP). Eight boys with CP (13.1 ± 3.1 years) performed three 10-min bouts of an arm-cranking exercise at 35°C, 50% relative humidity. After the third bout, the sweat drops on both forearms were photographed. Sweat gland density (PD) and the average sweat drop area (DA) were determined. PD was significantly higher (p < .05), whereas DA was significantly lower (p < .05) on the nondominant compared with the dominant forearm. The sweating pattern in spastic CP is influenced by upper-limb dominance.

Chronic Paroxysmal Hemicrania: XIII. The Pupillometric Pattern

Pupillometric studies were carried out in eight patients with chronic paroxysmal hemicrania (CPH) and in age- and sex-matched controls in the basal condition and after instillation of 2% tyramine (CPH, n = 5; controls, n = 17), 1% OH-amphetamine (CPH, n = 6; controls, n = 12), and 1% phenylephrine (CPH, n = 6; controls, n = 17). The pupil on the symptomatic and non-symptomatic sides in CPH patients was significantly smaller in the basal condition than in controls, particularly on the symptomatic side. The mydriatic responses to pharmacologic stimulation were essentially similar on the symptomatic and non-symptomatic sides. An evaporimetric study of the forehead sweat glands, using the body heating and pilocarpine tests, was also carried out in these patients and in age- and sex-matched controls. “Early”, “intermediate”, and “late” measurements demonstrated symmetry of forehead sweating. The findings for both methods of examination thus contrast with those in cluster headache patients. Pupillometric and forehead sweating patterns therefore suggest differences in the pathogenesis of the two headache entities. These tests may be used to distinguish CPH and cluster headache clinically.