Abstract
As the etiologic factor of pustulosis palmaris et plantaris, we thought that local sodium chloride concentration might play an important role since sodium chloride is the main constituent of sweat. Experimental injection of a high concentration of sodium chloride solution into guinea pigs and human skin produced intraepidermal pustules. Pustule specimens from patients were treated with potassium antimonate, which produced sedimentation of insoluble sodium antimonate. Determination of sodium concentration using an X-ray microanalyzer revealed a high level of sodium in these specimens. Atomic absorption spectrophotometry also showed high concentration of sodium in the pustular contents. All these findings seem to suggest that sodium chloride plays an important role in the pathogenesis of this disease.
