Primary hyperhidrosis--evidence for autosomal dominant inheritance.

Primary hyperhidrosis is a neurogenic disorder of unknown cause characterized by excessive sweating in the palmar surface of the hands, armpits, groin and feet. In the course of a therapeutic trial for primary hyperhidrosis, 62 % of patients reported a positive family history. Examination of these pedigrees demonstrated a sibling recurrence risk of lambdas = 29-48 and an offspring recurrence risk of lambdao = 41-68 indicating that hyperhidrosis can be an inherited condition. The pattern of inheritance suggests an autosomal dominant mode of transmission with incomplete disease penetrance.