title: Epidemiological survey of primary palmar hyperhidrosis in adolescents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite recent advances in recognition and treatment of primary palmar hyperhidrosis (PPH), the epidemiological survey has hardly been conducted. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and epidemiological characteristics of primary PPH among adolescents in three cities of southeast China.
  
  
  METHODS
  Stratified-cluster sampling was carried out and cross-sectional epidemiological survey by questionnaire was applied among 33 000 college and high school students.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence rate of PPH was 4.36% affecting both sexes equally. Prevalence rate of severe PPH was 0.27%. The average age of onset was 12.27 +/- 2.12 years. The peak age of onset was 6 - 16 years, accounting for 97.2% of PPH population. Positive family history was found in 17.9% PPH cases. Besides palms, axillae and soles can be also affected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PPH affects a larger group of individual than previously reported. More measures should be taken to enhance the recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of PPH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350005, China. lixu1967@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yuan-rong
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Fan-cai
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Yue-ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jian-feng
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jian-gang
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Ye
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand; D006801:Humans; D006945:Hyperhidrosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence