Background: Essential hypertension which affects nearly one billion people worldwide is a multifactorial disorder influenced by genetic and environmental factors. In human, around week 14 of pregnancy, sweat gland appear along the apices of the epidermal ridges and once formed on the ridges, they are fixed there and never degenerate or move. This study, by comparing the palmar distribution of sweat gland pores in hypertensive and norotensive individuals, examines the relationship between the number of palmar sweat gland pores and hypertension.
Materials and Methods: In this fundamental study, by using a digital microscope, the number of palamr sweat gland pores was counted in a circle area (12.5-16.8 mm2) of certain anatomical regions (a, b, and c triradials and fingers) in 75 hypertensive and 55 normotensive individuals. Results: The results showed that the mean count of sweat gland pores on fingers and b triradial in hypertensive individuals was significantly lower than that in normotensive individuals.
Conclusion: The findings of the present study indicate a significant relationship between the number of fingertip sweat glands pores and hypertension. Therefore, the examination of the palmar distribution of sweat gland pores in hypertensive individuals with a familial background of hypertension can be helpful in prognosis and early detection of this disorder.