We examined autonomic dysfunctions in 12 patients with chronic-recurrent-progressive polyradiculoneuritis (C-R-P-PRN), consisting of 6 males and 6 females with the clinical duration of 8 months to 16 years, and with the age ranged 13 and 71 years. Sixteen healthy volunteers, aged 20 to 70 years, were also examined. Thermal sweat rate was recorded on the palm, forearm, upper arm, anterior chest, lateral thigh and lateral aspect of lower leg using a ventilated capsular method in a climatic chamber at 40 degrees C and 40% of relative humidity. After steady state was attained, thermal sweat rate was measured. Local sweating induced by intradermal injection of pilocarpine and nicotine (a concentration of 10(-4), 0.1 ml) was also measured on the forearm and lower lateral leg at 23 degrees C of room temperature and 40% of relative humidity. Other autonomic functions including skin temperature at rest and after cold loading (15 degrees C, 6 minutes), variation in the R-R interval (CV%), pupillary function (response to 1.25% epinephrine, 2(-5) pilocarpine, 5% tyramine), orthostatic hypotension and bladder dysfunction were also monitored. A decrease in sweat rate and recovery rate of skin temperature was seen more frequently in patients with C-R-P-PRN than normal volunteers. Abnormality in the thermal sweat rate and local sweat response against nicotine and pilocarpine was present more frequently in the forearm and distal leg as compared with the chest and thigh.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)