title: Influence of thoracoscopic sympathectomy on tendency to cry - case-controlled study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Primary hyperhidrosis (PHH) is a disease that is mainly characterized by increased palmar and plantar sweating that significantly affects the everyday functioning. It is not clear to what extent this surgical intervention has an effect on one's further emotional functioning.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the impact of endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS) on crying tendency in PHH patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-six patients qualified for ETS due to PHH took part in the study. All patients completed the Adult Crying Inventory (ACI) and the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy (FACIT) questionnaires before and 3 months after sympathectomy. The ACI questionnaire was additionally completed by a group of 60 volunteers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In females, the number of crying episodes increased after ETS, though it was still lower than the number observed in the control group (1.19 vs. 2.36 vs. 3.83; p < 0.05). In males the number of crying episodes dropped insignificantly to the number observed in the control group (0.87 vs. 0.27 vs. 0.14; p = NS). The tendency to cry in females decreased compared to the level prior to surgery, but it was lower than the level observed in the control group (respectively, 4.5 vs. 3.5 vs. 5.63; p < 0.05). In males the differences were not statistically significant (1.03 vs. 1.5 vs. 1.77; p = NS). There was no impact of emotional status on crying, either before or after the treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy decreases the subjective tendency to cry though it increases the number of crying episodes in women, but does not change crying behaviours in men.
authors: Department of General, Endocrine and Transplant Surgery, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
authors: Tomasz
authors: T
authors: Stefaniak
authors: Department of General, Endocrine and Transplant Surgery, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
authors: Marta
authors: M
authors: Cwigoń
authors: Department of Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands.
authors: Ad J J M
authors: AJ
authors: Vingerhoets
authors: Department of General, Endocrine and Transplant Surgery, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
authors: Lukasz
authors: L
authors: Dobosz
authors: Department of General, Endocrine and Transplant Surgery, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
authors: Maciej
authors: M
authors: Kaczor
authors: Department of General, Endocrine and Transplant Surgery, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
authors: Tomasz
authors: T
authors: Cwaliński
authors: Department of General, Endocrine and Transplant Surgery, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
authors: Marta
authors: M
authors: Lankiewicz
authors: Department of General, Endocrine and Transplant Surgery, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
authors: Iwona
authors: I
authors: Wrukowska
keywords: autonomic system; crying; sympathectomy; sympathetic system; thoracoscopic