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The spoon test: a valid and reliable bedside test to assess sudomotor function.

MedStar author(s):

Citation: Clinical Autonomic Research. 27(2):91-95, 2017 AprPMID: 28188384Institution: MedStar Union Memorial HospitalDepartment: MedicineForm of publication: Journal ArticleMedline article type(s): Journal ArticleSubject headings: IN PROCESS -- NOT YET INDEXEDYear: 2017 ISSN:

0959-9851

Name of journal: Clinical autonomic research : official journal of the Clinical Autonomic Research SocietyAbstract: INTERPRETATION: With caveats related to methodology, the spoon test is a clinically practical and useful bedside screening test for the assessment of sweating, especially at the forehead and chest.METHODS: Five different tests were used to assess presence of sweating at seven bilaterally symmetrical body loci, namely, examination with the unaided eye, visualization with light reflection, magnification with an ophthalmoscope, palpation of skin for slickness, and gliding the back of a spoon over the skin to detect friction. Sensitivity and specificity of these bedside tests were compared with the thermoregulatory sweat test in 130 subjects with generalized body sweating and 16 patients with complete anhidrosis.OBJECTIVE: To establish the validity of bedside sudomotor tests in a controlled prospective study.RESULTS: The spoon test was more sensitive in detecting sweating than the other four bedside tests, demonstrating sensitivity of about 86% at the neck, 58% at the chest, and 51% at the forehead. Specificity of the spoon test was almost 100% at all body sites except at the chest (81%) and the neck (50%).All authors: Khurana RK, Russell CFiscal year: FY2017��Digital Object Identifier:

https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10286-017-0401-2

Date added to catalog: 2017-11-10

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Item type	Current library	Collection	Call number	Status	Date due	Barcode
Journal Article	MedStar Authors Catalog	Article	28188384	Available		28188384

INTERPRETATION: With caveats related to methodology, the spoon test is a clinically practical and useful bedside screening test for the assessment of sweating, especially at the forehead and chest.

METHODS: Five different tests were used to assess presence of sweating at seven bilaterally symmetrical body loci, namely, examination with the unaided eye, visualization with light reflection, magnification with an ophthalmoscope, palpation of skin for slickness, and gliding the back of a spoon over the skin to detect friction. Sensitivity and specificity of these bedside tests were compared with the thermoregulatory sweat test in 130 subjects with generalized body sweating and 16 patients with complete anhidrosis.

OBJECTIVE: To establish the validity of bedside sudomotor tests in a controlled prospective study.

RESULTS: The spoon test was more sensitive in detecting sweating than the other four bedside tests, demonstrating sensitivity of about 86% at the neck, 58% at the chest, and 51% at the forehead. Specificity of the spoon test was almost 100% at all body sites except at the chest (81%) and the neck (50%).

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