Episodic spontaneous hypothermia with hyperhidrosis: implications for pathogenesis

Unprovoked hypothermia is an unusual presenting sign. When occurring with diaphoresis it has been referred to as episodic spontaneous hypothermia with hyperhidrosis. Earlier reports described episodic, spontaneous hypothermia with hyperhidrosis in patients with agenesis of the corpus callosum and postulated a midline congenital malformation of the central nervous system. Since then, various endocrine, electrolyte, autonomic, and sleep disturbances have been described but the etiology remains undetermined. Three unrelated children are reported each of whom had an intact corpus callosum and normal endocrine function. Shivering was consistently absent despite marked symptomatic hypothermia. One child had spontaneous resolution of episodic spontaneous hypothermia with hyperhidrosis and two children responded to the antiserotonergic, cyproheptadine. It is hypothesized that specific serotonergic dysfunction in the anterior hypothalamic extrapyramidal shivering mechanism is central in the pathogenesis of this condition.