Reductions in sweat-related health problems, anxiety and depression, symptom severity
FRIDAY, Feb. 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with hyperhidrosis, botulinum toxin treatment is associated with significant improvements in mental and physical health, according to a study published online Feb. 15 in the Journal of Dermatology.
Alexander Shayesteh, from Umeå University in Sweden, and colleagues examined the symptoms of anxiety, depression, and hazardous alcohol consumption among patients with hyperhidrosis. They further examined whether treatment with botulinum toxin changed these effects. Questionnaires regarding hyperhidrosis and symptoms were administered to 114 patients (average age of onset, 13.4 years; 48 percent described heredity for hyperhidrosis).
The researchers found that two weeks after botulinum toxin treatment, patients with axillary and palmar hyperhidrosis had significant improvements regarding mean hyperhidrosis disease severity scale, visual analog scale 10-point scale, hospital anxiety and depression scale, short-form health survey-36, and sweat-related health problems. Participants had no significant changes in mean alcohol use disorder identification tests.
“Primary hyperhidrosis mainly impairs mental rather than physical aspects of life and also interferes with specific daily activities of the affected individuals,” the authors write. “Despite this, our patients did not show signs of anxiety, depression, or hazardous alcohol consumption.”
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