title: Comparison of intradermal injection with iontophoresis of abobotulinum toxin A for the treatment of primary axillary hyperhidrosis: a randomized, controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Botulinum neurotoxin type A (BTX-A) injection is the treatment of choice for idiopathic axillary hyperhidrosis (IAH) refractory to conventional treatments.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study compared the efficacy of BTX-A injection and iontophoresis for treatment of IAH in a randomized controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  In eleven patients with the diagnosis of IAH, one axilla was randomly treated with injections of 1.5 mL (250 MU) of BTX-A, and the other side was treated with BTX-A administered by iontophoresis. The amount of sweating, skin hydration, transepidermal water loss, pain, and patient satisfaction on both axilla were compared with baseline levels, and also between both sides 1 week, 1 month, and 6 months after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The injection side had significantly less sweat production than the iontophoresis side 1 week, 1 month, and 6 months after treatment (84%, 76%, and 50% vs. 73%, 22%, and 32%, respectively). The response to iontophoresis was more stable than that to injection. Participants' pain perception during the procedure score was significantly less on the iontophoresis side compared with the injection side (15.0 vs. 20.0, p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study has shown that injection is a more effective method for the administration of BTX-A, though iontophoresis can also be considered a non-invasive and painless method in some patients.
authors.affiliation: Center for Research and Training in Skin Diseases and Leprosy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Laleh
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Montaser-Kouhsari
authors.forename: Hamed
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zartab
authors.forename: Ferial
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fanian
authors.forename: Negin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Noorian
authors.forename: Bardia
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sadr
authors.forename: Mansour
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nassiri-Kashani
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Firooz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001365:Axilla; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006945:Hyperhidrosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007271:Injections, Intradermal; D007478:Iontophoresis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009465:Neuromuscular Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D009465:Neuromuscular Agents; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A; C542869:abobotulinumtoxinA