Impostor phenomenon is a common feature among individuals with primary hyperhidrosis

SAGE Open Med. 2024 Jan 27;12:20503121231220828. doi: 10.1177/20503121231220828. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Primary hyperhidrosis consists of excessive focal sweating. Affected individuals camouflage the sweating on their body, avoiding stigmatisation. Hence, misrepresentation in social interactions is a common feature in patients with hyperhidrosis. The aim of this study was to investigate impostor phenomenon, perfectionism, self-compassion, stress and anxiety among individuals with primary hyperhidrosis.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted at our clinic among 100 participants with axillary and palmar primary hyperhidrosis. The questionnaire contained a hyperhidrosis part and Perceived Stress Scale-4, Generalised Anxiety Disorder Scale-2, Clinical Perfectionism Questionnaire-6, Self-Compassion Scale Short form and Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale. Descriptive statistics was used for analyses of categorical variables. As data were normally distributed independent t-test and one-way analysis of variance with post hoc Tukey test were used to compare the mean values for the questionnaires with other variables. Pearson’s correlation was used, and a forward multiple linear regression model was performed to predict presence of impostor phenomenon with gender, age and other scales in this study.

RESULTS: Impostor phenomenon occurred in almost half of our patients (48%) with hyperhidrosis. While feelings of impostor phenomenon were more common in women, there was no difference between gender regarding its intensity levels (p = 0.07). In addition, we found a significant (p < 0.001) negative correlation between impostor phenomenon and self-compassion, while feelings of impostoer phenomenon increased with stress, anxiety and perfectionism (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: Feelings of impostor phenomenon was found in 48% of individuals with hyperhidrosis which indicates that it is a common feature in this patient group. Future research is warranted regarding the prevalence of impostor phenomenon in hyperhidrosis and other medical conditions, among men and women, seeking medical healthcare. Psychological interventions in hyperhidrosis may be beneficial both for the individual and in public health, by facilitating management of patients’ daily lives and saving considerable resources in healthcare regarding pharmacological interventions and medical consultations.

PMID:38283646 | PMC:PMC10822058 | DOI:10.1177/20503121231220828

Enhancing Quality of Life: Pre- and Postoperative Assessment in Idiopathic Hyperhidrosis Patients

Cureus. 2023 Nov 28;15(11):e49588. doi: 10.7759/cureus.49588. eCollection 2023 Nov.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to characterize patients, describe surgical complications, and evaluate the pre- and postoperative quality of life (QOL) of individuals who underwent surgery for primary hyperhidrosis (PHH).

METHODS: A prospective, non-randomized, uncontrolled study was conducted, documenting cases of patients undergoing surgery for PHH at a reference center in La Habana, Cuba, from January 2016 to December 2022.

RESULTS: A total of 49 cases were described, with a median age of 16 years; 59.1% were female. The most common presentation was palmar-plantar-axillary, observed in 53% of cases. The palmar presentation was more frequent in female patients (p<0.05). Within 24 hours post-procedure, 85.7% of patients showed dryness in the palmar and axillary areas, with surgical complications occurring in 14.3% of cases (intercostal neuritis, pneumothorax, and hemothorax). CH of some form was recorded in 89.8% of cases. At least 30 days after the surgery, 95.9% of the patients reported a significant improvement in their QOL.

CONCLUSION: Thoracic sympathectomy is an efficient and safe method for treating hyperhidrosis in adolescents, leading to an enhanced QOL. However, this study reported a higher incidence of complications, particularly CH, compared to previous national and international studies.

PMID:38156137 | PMC:PMC10754539 | DOI:10.7759/cureus.49588

Treatment of Palmar Hyperhidrosis with Radiofrequency Microneedling-Based on Ultrasound Measurements

J Ultrasound Med. 2023 Dec 27. doi: 10.1002/jum.16402. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This study addresses the treatment of palmar hyperhidrosis, which has been difficult to manage. A new treatment has been developed using radiofrequency microneedling to reduce sweating non-surgically by ablating sweat glands. Based on ultrasound measurements of the dermis and precise microneedling damage, effective energy was applied to locate the sweat glands and disabled their function. Radiofrequency microneedling with ultrasound can safely and effectively treat hyperhidrosis in a minimally invasive way.

PMID:38149371 | DOI:10.1002/jum.16402

Involvement of aquaporin 5 and Na-K-2Cl co-transporter 1 in the pathogenesis of primary focal hyperhidrosis: evidence from the primary sweat gland cell culture

Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2023 Dec 4. doi: 10.1152/ajpcell.00274.2023. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

People with primary focal hyperhidrosis (PFH) usually have an overactive sympathetic nervous system, which can activate the sweat glands through the chemical messenger of acetylcholine. The role of aquaporin 5 (AQP5) and Na-K-2Cl co-transporter 1 (NKCC1) in PFH is still unknown. The relative mRNA and protein levels of AQP5 and NKCC1 in the sweat gland tissues of three subtypes of PFH patients (primary palmar hyperhidrosis, PPH; primary axillary hyperhidrosis, PAH; primary craniofacial hyperhidrosis, PCH) were detected with Real-Time PCR (qPCR) and Western blot. Primary sweat gland cells from healthy controls (NPFH-SG) were incubated with different concentrations of acetylcholine, and the relative mRNA and protein expression of AQP5 and NKCC1 were also detected. NPFH-SG cells were also transfected with si-AQP5 or shNKCC1, and acetylcholine stimulation-induced calcium transients were assayed with Fluo-3 AM calcium assay. Up-regulated AQP5 and NKCC1 expression were observed in sweat gland tissues, and AQP5 demonstrated a positive Pearson correlation with NKCC1 in PPH patients (r=0.66, p<0.001), PAH patients (r=0.71, p<0.001), and PCH patients (r=0.62, p<0.001). Up-regulated AQP5 and NKCC1 expression were also detected in primary sweat gland cells derived from three subtypes of PFH patients when compared with primary sweat gland cells derived from healthy control. Acetylcholine stimulation could induce the up-regulated AQP5 and NKCC1 expression in NPFH-SG cells, and AQP5 or NKCC1 inhibitions attenuated the calcium transients induced by acetylcholine stimulation in NPFH-SG cells. The dependence of ACh-stimulated calcium transients on AQP5 and NKCC1 expression may be involved in the development of PFH.

PMID:38047298 | DOI:10.1152/ajpcell.00274.2023

A multicenter retrospective study of lumbar sympathectomy for plantar hyperhidrosis: satisfaction and postoperative complications

Clin Exp Dermatol. 2023 Nov 15:llad373. doi: 10.1093/ced/llad373. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Primary plantar hyperhidrosis has a severe impact on quality of life and conservative treatments are only effective in the short-term. Thoracic sympathectomy has proven its effectiveness in the treatment of palmar hyperhidrosis, but lumbar sympathectomy for plantar hyperhidrosis remains poorly described. The objective of this study is to report the satisfaction of treated patients as well as the postoperative complications. This was a multicenter retrospective observational study of sixteen patients with primary plantar hyperhidrosis, treated with mechanical lumbar sympathectomy from December 2012 to October 2022. Patients’ characteristics were collected from medical records. Quality of life, postoperative satisfaction and complications were evaluated using a standardized questionnaire. Lumbar sympathectomy was performed on 16 patients, fourteen were women and two were men with a total of thirty-one procedures. 87.5% of patients were satisfied and would recommend the surgery to other patients. Compensatory hyperhidrosis occured in 75% of patients, recurrence of hyperhidrosis in 31.3% and sexual dysfunction in 18.8%. Lumbar sympathectomy provides satisfying results for plantar hyperhidrosis with acceptable postoperative complications, regardless of gender. Compensatory hyperhidrosis was the most frequent complication but had no impact on patient satisfaction. Data on the risk of sexual dysfunction are reassuring, with only one case of transient ejaculation disorder.

PMID:37966306 | DOI:10.1093/ced/llad373

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous puncturing technique: novel radiofrequency ablation technique for thoracic sympathectomy in treatment of palmar hyperhidrosis

Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 2023 Nov 8:ezad372. doi: 10.1093/ejcts/ezad372. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Radiofrequency thoracic sympathectomy is routinely conducted under computed tomography or fluoroscopy in treatment of palmar hyperhidrosis. However, it remains a great challenge to perform thoracic paravertebral puncture precisely and safely, that is associated with repeated exposure of radiation and risk of pneumothorax. Alternatively, ultrasound-guided technique can provide high-resolution and real-time needle tracking during percutaneous procedure. Here, we provided our experience of ultrasonic guidance in radiofrequency sympathectomy for treatment of primary palmar hyperhidrosis.

PMID:37947326 | DOI:10.1093/ejcts/ezad372

Machine learning analysis of primary hyperhidrosis for classification of hyperhidrosis type and prediction of compensatory hyperhidrosis

J Thorac Dis. 2023 Sep 28;15(9):4808-4817. doi: 10.21037/jtd-23-471. Epub 2023 Aug 23.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Although sympathectomy is highly effective for improving symptom, compensatory hyperhidrosis (CH) is a major issue. In this study, characteristics of primary hyperhidrosis were investigated in terms of the heart rate variability (HRV) parameters. Classification of hyperhidrosis type and prediction of CH after sympathicotomy were also determined using machine learning analysis.

METHODS: From March 2017 to December 2021, 128 subjects who underwent HRV tests before sympathicotomy were analyzed. T2 and T3 bilateral endoscopic sympathicotomy were routinely performed in patients with craniofacial and palmar hyperhidrosis, respectively. Data collected age, sex, body mass index (BMI), hyperhidrosis type, symptom improvement after sympathicotomy, the degrees of CH after sympathicotomy, and preoperative HRV findings. The independent risk factors associated with the degree of CH after sympathicotomy were investigated. Machine learning analysis was used to determine classification of hyperhidrosis type and prediction of the degree of CH.

RESULTS: Preoperatively, patients with palmar hyperhidrosis presented with significantly larger standard deviation of normal-to-normal (SDNN), root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), total power (TP), and low frequency (LF) than patients with craniofacial hyperhidrosis after controlling for age and sex (P=0.030, P=0.004, P=0.041, and P=0.022, respectively). More sympathetic nervous predominance was found in craniofacial type (P=0.019). Low degree of CH had significantly greater RMSSD (P=0.047), and high degree of CH showed more sympathetic nervous predominance (P=0.006). Multivariate analysis showed the type and expansion of sympathicotomy were significant factors for CH (P=0.001 and P=0.028, respectively). The neural network (NN) algorithm outperformed and showed a 0.961 accuracy, 0.961 F1 score, 0.961 precision, 0.961 recall, and 0.972 area under the curve (AUC) for classification of hyperhidrosis type. The random forest (RF) model outperformed showed a 0.852 accuracy, 0.853 F1 score, 0.856 precision, 0.852 recall, and 0.914 AUC for prediction of the degree of CH.

CONCLUSIONS: The present study showed the machine learning algorithm can classify types and predict CH after sympathicotomy for primary hyperhidrosis with considerable accuracy. Further large-scale studies are needed to validate the findings and provide management guidelines for primary hyperhidrosis.

PMID:37868857 | PMC:PMC10586983 | DOI:10.21037/jtd-23-471

Oxybutynin for Primary Palmer Hyperhidrosis Attenuates Migraine Attacks and Burdens

Cureus. 2023 Sep 7;15(9):e44826. doi: 10.7759/cureus.44826. eCollection 2023 Sep.

ABSTRACT

Migraine is a neurological disorder with recurrent headaches accompanied by burdens in social life. Primary palmar hyperhidrosis is a chronic condition with excessive sweating of the palms that can significantly impair quality of life. Primary hyperhidrosis can cause anxiety, and stress, including anxiety, is the most common inducer of migraine headaches. Recently, oxybutynin has been used for primary palmar hyperhidrosis. We herein describe a 26-year-old female migraine patient with primary palmar hyperhidrosis whose migraine attacks and burdens were attenuated after the prescription of an oxybutynin lotion formula. The patient’s monthly headache days (MHD) and monthly acute medication intake days (AMD) at the first visit were 10 and 9. Headache Impact Score 6 (HIT-6) at the initial visit was 63. After the prescription of Japanese herbal kampo medicine Goreisan (TJ-17), Goshuyuto (TJ-31), and 200 mg of valproic acid, MHD, AMD, and HIT-6 decreased gradually. However, these parameters could not improve sufficiently at nine months: MHD 4, AMD 4, and HIT-6 52. We first prescribed a lotion formulation of 20% oxybutynin hydrochloride at nine months. After this, migraine was further attenuated, and stress related to primary palmar hyperhidrosis was reduced; at 12 months, the patient had achieved MHD 2, AMD 2, and HIT-6 48. She will continue receiving primary palmar hyperhidrosis treatment while tapering off migraine prophylaxis. While the exact mechanisms connecting migraine and primary hyperhidrosis remain uncertain, this case raises important questions about the potential interplay between stress, sweating, and migraine triggers.

PMID:37818504 | PMC:PMC10561519 | DOI:10.7759/cureus.44826

Efficacy of 5% sofpironium bromide gel in Duchenne muscular dystrophy with palmoplantar hyperhidrosis: A retrospective case study

J Dermatol. 2023 Oct 5. doi: 10.1111/1346-8138.16990. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe, progressive, muscle-wasting disease. Notably, several extramuscular manifestations and complications of advanced DMD, including skin disorders, are known. However, hyperhidrosis and its treatment have not been well-described in association with advanced DMD, therefore we aimed to confirm the efficacy of 5% sofpironium bromide gel in treating secondary hyperhidrosis in patients with advanced DMD. We retrospectively reviewed patients with advanced DMD who underwent treatment with 5% sofpironium bromide gel. All patients were evaluated using the hyperhidrosis disease severity scale (HDSS) score and by measuring the gravimetric weight of palmar and/or plantar sweat. Three patients with advanced DMD were treated and the patients were aged 28, 31, and 32 years, respectively. Their HDSS scores showed a decreasing tendency within 5 weeks after treatment. In addition, all patients had a decreased gravimetric weight of palmar and/or plantar sweat, and the mean decrease rate of palmar sweat at 7 weeks after treatment was 53.7%. One patient had skin dryness on both soles, but no serious adverse events were observed. Treatment using 5% sofpironium bromide gel showed beneficial efficacy against palmoplantar hyperhidrosis in patients with advanced DMD. These findings warrant further investigation in future studies.

PMID:37795807 | DOI:10.1111/1346-8138.16990

Infrared thermography in the diagnosis of palmar hyperhidrosis: A diagnostic study

Med J Armed Forces India. 2023 Sep-Oct;79(5):560-564. doi: 10.1016/j.mjafi.2021.07.007. Epub 2021 Sep 23.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Primary hyperhidrosis is a common condition affecting 1-3% of the general population. Excessive sweating leads to reduced surface temperature due to evaporation that can be captured using a thermal camera. We performed this study to find the utility of thermography in the diagnosis of palmar hyperhidrosis.

METHODS: This was a cross-sectional diagnostic study conducted in a tertiary care dermatology center during the study period Apr 20-Mar 21. Adult patients with palmar hyperhidrosis diagnosed by expert dermatologists were recruited. The severity was assessed using the hyperhidrosis disease severity scale (HDSS). The measurements were done using a FLIR™ thermal camera. A pilot study, including 30 patients and 30 controls were performed. The results of the pilot study were used for the calculation of sample size.

RESULT: The study included 55 patients and 110 controls. The mean age of the patients and controls was 22.4 (±3) years and 21.7 (±2.5) years, respectively. The mean temperature difference in the patient and control group was found to be 19.6 (±3.3)0 F and 5.8 (±2.9)0 F, respectively (p < 0.001). A receiver operating characteristics curve (ROC) to assess the discriminatory ability of mean temperature difference in diagnosis of hyperhidrosis found the area under the curve (AUC) to be 0.995 and a temperature difference of 11.5 °F provides sensitivity and specificity of 98.2% and 97.3% for the diagnosis of hyperhidrosis.

CONCLUSIONS: Thermal imaging is a simple, noninvasive, and objective tool for the diagnosis of hyperhidrosis. It has potential utility in monitoring the effect of the treatment.

PMID:37719898 | PMC:PMC10499645 | DOI:10.1016/j.mjafi.2021.07.007