title: Botulinum toxin: a treatment for compensatory hyperhidrosis in the trunk.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Severe compensatory hyperhidrosis (CH) in the trunk occurs after sympathectomy in some patients. Limited treatment options for these cases have been proposed, and the overall results have been disappointing, but injection of botulinum toxin-A (BTX-A) is an emerging, reliable treatment method for focal hyperhidrosis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To demonstrate the efficacy, longevity, and safety of BTX-A injection for severe truncal sweating in CH patients who were refractory to conventional treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen patients were injected with 100 to 500 U of BTX-A in the truncal area. After the follow-up period, the Hyperhidrosis Disease Severity Scale (HDSS) for efficacy and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) were measured for improvement in patients' quality of life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The baseline mean HDSS score+/-standard deviation was 3.6+/-0.5, and the sweating resolved within 5 days. The effect was sustained for 2 to 8 months (4.1+/-1.5 months) and the baseline DLQI score of 9.4+/-2.0 fell to 2.8+/-1.0. No serious side effects or adverse events resulted from the treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BTX-A injection was a well-tolerated, effective, and safe method for treating severe truncal CH, although the considerable cost and limited duration of the treatment effects were major disadvantages.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Anesthesia and Pain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea. wokim@yumc.yonsei.ac.kr
authors.forename: Won Oak
authors.initials: WO
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hae Keum
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Kil
authors.forename: Kyung Bong
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Ko Un
authors.initials: KU
authors.lastname: Noh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006945:Hyperhidrosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013909:Thorax; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D009498:Neurotoxins; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A