Comparison of CT-guided thoracic sympathetic nerve block and radiofrequency in the treatment of primary palmar hyperhidrosis

Front Surg. 2023 May 31;10:1126596. doi: 10.3389/fsurg.2023.1126596. eCollection 2023.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Primary palmar hyperhidrosis (PPH) is a condition marked by an overactive secretion of the hand’s exocrine glands and is frequently hereditary. The profuse sweating associated with this condition can significantly impair the patient’s daily activities and quality of life.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compared the benefits and drawbacks of thoracic sympathetic block and thoracic sympathetic radiofrequency in the treatment of PPH.

METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 69 patients. They were divided into groups A and B according to their treatment. Group A (34 cases) received CT-guided percutaneous thoracic sympathetic nerve chain anhydrous alcohol chemical damage block, and group B (35 cases) received CT-guided percutaneous thoracic sympathetic nerve chain radiofrequency thermocoagulation.

RESULTS: Palmar sweating disappeared immediately after the operation. The recurrence rates at 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, and 36 months were 5.88% vs. 2.86% (P > 0.05), 20.59% vs. 5.71% (P > 0.05), 32.35% vs. 11.43% (P < 0.05),32.35% vs. 11.43% (P < 0.05), 25% vs. 14.71% (P < 0.05), and 68.75% vs. 20.59% (P < 0.05), respectively. The incidence of intercostal neuralgia and compensatory hyperhidrosis was higher in group A compared with of group B (52.94% vs. 22.86%, P < 0.05; 55.88% vs. 22.86%, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Both methods were found to be effective in treating PPH, but thoracic sympathetic radiofrequency had a longer-term effect, a lower recurrence rate, and a lower incidence of intercostal neuralgia and compensatory hyperhidrosis than a thoracic sympathetic block.

PMID:37325414 | PMC:PMC10264635 | DOI:10.3389/fsurg.2023.1126596

Attempted treatment of primary axillary hyperhidrosis with one session of either Neodymium YAG laser or Intense Pulsed Light: A within patient randomized trial of treated versus untreated contralateral axilla

Lasers Surg Med. 2023 Jun 14. doi: 10.1002/lsm.23697. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Primary axillary hyperhidrosis (PAH) affects 1-5% of the world’s population who has an unmet need for improved treatments. The heating of sweat glands with specific microwave therapy has shown promising results, yet, treatment with widely available devices such as long-pulsed Neodymium Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Nd:YAG) lasers, diode lasers or Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) may serve as pragmatic alternatives.

OBJECTIVES: To compare sweat secretion of treated versus untreated contralateral control axilla 1-3 months after one session of Nd:YAG laser or IPL in patients with PAH.

METHODS: A within-person randomized controlled trial. Patients were randomized to receive either one session of Nd:YAG laser or IPL in one axilla with the contra-lateral serving as control. Sweat production was assessed by gravimetry, trans-epidermal water loss, hyperhidrosis disease severity scale and dynamic optical coherence tomography. Mixed-effects models were used to handle the within-person design, containing both fixed effect factors (side, group, and subgroup), and random effects (patients), while also adjusting for the level at baseline.

RESULTS: A total of 20 patients were enrolled. At follow-up 1-3 months after treatment, sweat secretion was not affected in the treated axilla when compared to the control axillae (0.01 [95%CI: -0.04 to 0.05]; p = 0.68). In the Nd:YAG subgroup (10 patients), least squares means for sweat secretion was 0.18 mg/5 min in the treated versus 0.15 mg/5 min in the control axilla, respectively, corresponding to a statistically insignificant mean difference of 0.02 mg/5 min (95% CI: -0.06 to 0.11; p = 0.54). In the IPL subgroup (10 patients), sweat secretion was 0.06 mg/5 min in the treated axilla versus 0.07 mg/5 min in the control axilla with a statistically insignificant difference of -0.01 points (95% CI: -0.03 to 0.02; p = 0.46). Likewise, none of the secondary outcomes were significantly affected by treatment. However, both treatments appeared safe and well tolerated with no adverse effects reported at follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS: One treatment with external 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser or 640 nm IPL at commercially available settings, failed to demonstrate clinical benefit in treating PAH, with narrow confidence intervals implying that this was not due to a type-2 error.

PMID:37313834 | DOI:10.1002/lsm.23697

Primary Palmar Hyperhidrosis (PPH) Accompanied With Nevus Flammeus: A Case Report

Cureus. 2023 May 8;15(5):e38723. doi: 10.7759/cureus.38723. eCollection 2023 May.

ABSTRACT

Palmar hyperhidrosis (PH) is a medical condition characterized by excessive sweating in the palms of the hands, which can result in significant distress and impairment in daily activities. Flammeus nevus, on the other hand, is a benign vascular lesion that appears as a red or purplish discoloration on the skin, commonly found on the face, neck, or trunk. In some cases, flammeus nevus can co-occur with PH, leading to increased sweating in the affected area. This condition can cause significant psychosocial impact, affecting an individual’s quality of life (QoL) and self-esteem. We present a case report of a patient presenting with PPH with flammeus nevus. There is currently limited information available on the relationship between PH and flammeus nevus, and more research is needed to better understand this phenomenon; here we have reported the presentation of a patient. In conclusion, PH accompanied with flammeus nevus is a condition that requires prompt attention and management to mitigate its adverse effects. We have used ChatGPT to aid in structuring and writing this case report.

PMID:37292575 | PMC:PMC10246863 | DOI:10.7759/cureus.38723

Hormonal Causes for Excessive Sweating

Praxis (Bern 1994). 2023 Jun;112(7-8):398-402. doi: 10.1024/1661-8157/a004025.

ABSTRACT

Hormonal Causes for Excessive Sweating Abstract: Excessive sweating is a frequent symptom in the general practice, but quite a few patients report their sweating problems only when explicitly asked. The differentiation into night sweats on the one hand and general sweating on the other hand can give us first diagnostic hints. Based on their frequency, night sweats should also trigger questions about panic attacks or sleeping disorders. The most frequent hormonal causes for excessive sweating are the menopause and hyperthyroidism. Hypogonadism in the aging male is a rather rare cause for excessive sweating and must be associated with sexual problems and a repeatedly low morning testosterone. This article provides an overview about the most frequent hormonal causes of excessive sweating and the diagnostic approach.

PMID:37282519 | DOI:10.1024/1661-8157/a004025

Hyperhidrosis quality of life index (HidroQoL): further validation by applying classical test theory and item response theory using data from a phase III clinical trial

J Patient Rep Outcomes. 2023 Jun 6;7(1):55. doi: 10.1186/s41687-023-00596-6.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The Hyperhidrosis Quality of Life Index (HidroQoL ©) is a well-developed and validated patient-reported outcome measure assessing the quality-of-life impacts in hyperhidrosis with 18 items. Our aim was to extend the already existing validity evidence for the HidroQoL, especially in relation to structural validity. Especially Rasch analysis has not been applied to the final 18-item HidroQoL before.

METHODS: Data from a phase III clinical trial were used. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to confirm the two a priori HidroQoL scales within classical test theory. Furthermore, the assumptions of the Rasch model (model fit, monotonicity, unidimensionality, local independence) and Differential Item Functioning (DIF) were assessed using item response theory.

RESULTS: The sample included 529 patients with severe primary axillary hyperhidrosis. The two-factor structure could be confirmed by the confirmatory factor analysis (SRMR = 0.058). The item characteristic curves showed mainly optimally functioning response categories, indicating monotonicity. The overall fit to the Rasch model was adequate and unidimensionality for the HidroQoL overall scale could be confirmed, since the first factor had an eigenvalue of 2.244 and accounted for 18.7%. Local independence was below assumed thresholds (residual correlations ≤ 0.26). DIF analysis, controlling for age or gender, was critical for four and three items, respectively. However, this DIF could be explained.

CONCLUSION: Using classical test theory and item response theory/Rasch analyses, this study provided further evidence for the structural validity of the HidroQoL. This study confirmed several specific (measurement) properties of the HidroQoL questionnaire in patients with physician-confirmed severe primary axillary hyperhidrosis: the HidroQoL is a unidimensional scale allowing the summation of scores to generate a single score, and simultaneously it has a dual structure, also allowing the calculation of separate domain scores for daily activities and psychosocial impacts. With this study, we provided new evidence of the structural validity of the HidroQoL in the context of a clinical trial. Trial registration The study was registered (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03658616, 05 September 2018, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03658616?term=NCT03658616&draw=2&rank=1 ).

PMID:37280417 | DOI:10.1186/s41687-023-00596-6

The differentiating effect of COVID-19-associated stress on the morbidity of blood donors with symptoms of hidradenitis suppurativa, hyperhidrosis, or psoriasis

Qual Life Res. 2023 Jun 3. doi: 10.1007/s11136-023-03448-4. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The burden of different skin diseases may vary leading individuals to have different sensitivity to stress. Therefore, we compared the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and stress before and during the universal stress from the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2-pandemic in individuals with and without hyperhidrosis, hidradenitis suppurativa, or psoriasis.

METHODS: The study cohort was the Danish Blood Donor Study. Overall, 12,798 participants completed a baseline questionnaire before the pandemic, in 2018-2019, and a follow-up questionnaire during the pandemic, in 2020. Regression determined the association between the skin diseases and outcomes. Outcomes were the physical and mental component summary (MCS, PCS, respectively), which assess the mental and physical HRQoL, and the perceived stress scale, which assesses stress in the past four weeks.

RESULTS: Overall, 1168 (9.1%) participants had hyperhidrosis, 363 (2.8%) had hidradenitis suppurativa, and 402 (3.1%) had psoriasis. At follow-up, the participants with hyperhidrosis had worse MCS (coefficient -0.59 [95% confidence interval (CI) -1.05, -0.13]) and higher odds of moderate-to-severe stress (odds ratio 1.37 [95% CI 1.13, 1.65]) and the participants with hidradenitis suppurativa worse PCS (coefficient -0.74 [95% CI -1.21, -0.27]) than the control groups. The associations were independent of baseline HRQoL, stress, the Connor-Davidson Resilience scale, and other covariables. Psoriasis was not associated with the outcomes.

CONCLUSION: Individuals with hyperhidrosis or hidradenitis suppurativa experienced worse mental or physical well-being and individuals with hyperhidrosis also had higher stress during the pandemic compared to healthy individuals. This suggests that individuals with these skin diseases are particularly susceptible to external stress.

PMID:37270451 | DOI:10.1007/s11136-023-03448-4

Axillary Cutaneous Hemosiderosis in a Patient With Hyperhidrosis, After Intravenous Iron Infusion

Am J Dermatopathol. 2023 May 29. doi: 10.1097/DAD.0000000000002461. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Hemosiderosis consists of an iron deposit in tissues, which does not cause organic damage to them. However, in the case of the skin, being an organ exposed to sight, siderosis can produce a brownish coloration that is aesthetically discomforting for the individual. Most cutaneous sideroses are because of venous insufficiency with hemorrhagic extravasation. There is also a group secondary to iron extravasation in the injection site of the transfusion. However, there are very few cases in which an intravenous injection of an iron preparation has produced diffuse siderosis in extensive areas of the skin. We present the case of a 31-year-old woman with hyperhidrosis, who was transfused as a result of postpartum hemorrhage and, shortly after receiving an intravenous iron infusion, developed extensive hyperpigmentation in both axillae.

PMID:37249371 | DOI:10.1097/DAD.0000000000002461

Upregulation of ITGB6 in primary palmar hyperhidrosis

Adv Clin Exp Med. 2023 May 22. doi: 10.17219/acem/162178. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The regulatory effect of integrin β6 (ITGB6) on sweat gland cells in primary palmar hyperhidrosis (PPH) remains unclear.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the involvement of ITGB6 in the pathogenesis of PPH.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sweat gland tissues were collected from PPH patients and healthy volunteers. The expression levels of ITGB6 in sweat gland tissues were detected with quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), western blot and immunohistochemical staining. Sweat gland cells were extracted from PPH patients, and identified with immunofluorescence staining of CEA and CK7. The expression of aquaporin 5 (AQP5) and Na-K-Cl cotransporter 1 (NKCC1) in primary sweat gland cells that overexpress ITGB6 were also detected. Through a series of bioinformatic methods, differentially expressed genes in sweat gland tissues were examined and validated via comparing PPH samples and controls. The key proteins and biological functions enriched in PPH were determined using Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses.

RESULTS: The ITGB6 was upregulated in sweat gland tissues of PPH patients compared to that of healthy volunteers. The CEA and CK7 were positively expressed in sweat gland cells extracted from PPH patients. The overexpression of ITGB6 upregulated AQP5 and NKCC1 protein expression in the sweat gland cells of PPH patients. A total of 562 differentially expressed mRNAs were identified using high-throughput sequencing (394 upregulated, 168 downregulated), which were mainly active in the chemokine and Wnt signaling pathways. After verification with qPCR and western blot, the overexpression of ITGB6 significantly upregulated CXCL3, CXCL5, CXCL10, and CXCL11, and downregulated Wnt2 mRNA and protein expression in sweat gland cells.

CONCLUSIONS: The ITGB6 is upregulated in PPH patients. It may be involved in the pathogenesis of PPH by upregulating AQP5, NKCC1, CXCL3, CXCL5, CXCL10, and CXCL11, and downregulating Wnt2 expression in sweat glands.

PMID:37212774 | DOI:10.17219/acem/162178