Evaluation of objective methods to diagnose palmar hyperhidrosis and monitor effects of botulinum toxin treatment.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate (1) if laboratory tests may be a useful complement in diagnosing palmar hyperhidrosis and (2) if such tests can be used in the follow up examination of treatment effects.


METHODS
Repeated measurements of evaporation and conductance were made in glabrous skin on hands and compared with subjective estimates of the degree of sweating in 20 control subjects and 20 patients with a history of palmar hyperhidrosis. In addition, 17 patients were monitored for up to 6 months after treatment of the hands with botulinum toxin A.


RESULTS
Before treatment, evaporation in the palms was higher in the patients than in the control subjects but skin conductance did not differ between the groups. After treatment both evaporation and skin conductance decreased markedly in the patients and then slowly returned towards pretreatment values.


CONCLUSIONS
Measurements of evaporation, but not skin conductance, may be a useful objective adjunct when diagnosing palmar hyperhidrosis. Both methods can, however, be used to monitor intraindividual changes of sweating over time.
Krogstad
Anne-Lene
AL
Unit of Clinical Neurophysiology, Institute of Clinical Neuroscience, Sahlgren University Hospital, S-413 45 Göteborg, Sweden.
Skymne
B S Annika
BS
Göran Pegenius
B S
BS
Elam
Mikael
M
Wallin
B Gunnar
BG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001905:Botulinum Toxins / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006225:Hand / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006945:Hyperhidrosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013546:Sweating / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
D001905:Botulinum Toxins