Night sweats

Abstract

Although night sweating is a common outpatient complaint medical, literature on this subject is scarce. Tuberculosis, brucellosis and lymphoma are diseases in which night sweating is a dominant symptom, but these are infrequently found to be the cause of night sweats in modern practice. While these diseases remain important diagnostic considerations in patients with night sweats, other diagnosis to consider include human immunodeficiency virus infection, gastroesphageal reflux disease, obstructive sleep apnea, hyperthyroidism, hypoglycemia, and several less common diseases. Anti-hypertensive, antipyretics, and other medications such as drugs of abuse including alcohol and heroin may cause night sweats. Serious causes of night sweats can be excluded with a thorough history taking, physical examination, and appropriate laboratory and imaging studies.