Paroxetine useful for palmar-plantar hyperhidrosis.
OBJECTIVE
To report a case of palmar-plantar hyperhidrosis (PPH) in which paroxetine was found to be helpful.


METHODS
A 32-year-old man with a history of excessive sweating of the palms and soles since childhood was diagnosed with PPH and was prescribed paroxetine 10 mg/day, which was increased to 20 mg/day. After one month, he experienced a marked reduction in sweating and improvement in socio-occupational functioning, which were sustained during follow-up at 6 months without any emergent adverse effects.


CONCLUSIONS
Paroxetine's anticholinergic action may be responsible for its beneficial effect in PPH, as it may override the adrenergic mechanism, which has a minor effect on sweating from eccrine glands. Alternatively, paroxetine's beneficial effect in PPH may be secondary to its antianxiety effect, through central mechanisms.


CONCLUSIONS
Paroxetine may be a useful option in the treatment of PPH.
Praharaj
Samir Kumar
SK
Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India. samirpsyche@yahoo.co.in
Arora
Manu
M
D000328:Adult; D005528:Foot / Q000502:physiology; D006225:Hand / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006945:Hyperhidrosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D017374:Paroxetine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D017374:Paroxetine