Botulinum toxin abolishes sweating via impaired sweat gland responsiveness to exogenous acetylcholine.
Br J Dermatol
; 161(4): 757-61, 2009 Oct.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-19538183
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Botulinum toxin A (BTX) disrupts neurotransmitter release from cholinergic nerves. The effective duration of impaired sweat secretion with BTX is longer relative to that of impaired muscle contraction, suggesting different mechanisms in these tissues.OBJECTIVES:
The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that BTX is capable of altering sweating by reducing the responsiveness of the sweat gland to acetylcholine.METHODS:
BTX was injected into the dorsal forearm skin of healthy subjects at least 3 days before subsequent assessment. On the day of the experiment, intradermal microdialysis probes were placed within the BTX-treated area and in an adjacent untreated area. Incremental doses of acetylcholine were administered through the microdialysis membranes while the sweat rate (protocol 1; n = 8) or a combination of sweat rate and skin blood flow (protocol 2; n = 8) were assessed.RESULTS:
A relative absence of sweating was observed at the BTX site for both protocols (protocol 1 0.05 +/- 0.09 mg cm(-2) min(-1); protocol 2 0.03 +/- 0.04 mg cm(-2) min(-1), both at the highest dose of acetylcholine), while the sweat rate increased appropriately at the control sites (protocol 1 0.90 +/- 0.46 mg cm(-2) min(-1); protocol 2 1.07 +/- 0.67 mg cm(-2) min(-1)). Cutaneous vascular conductance increased to a similar level at both the BTX and control sites.CONCLUSIONS:
These results demonstrate that BTX is capable of inhibiting sweat secretion by reducing the responsiveness of the sweat gland to acetylcholine, while not altering acetylcholine-mediated cutaneous vasodilatation.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Skin
/
Sweat Glands
/
Sweating
/
Acetylcholine
/
Botulinum Toxins, Type A
Limits:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
En
Journal:
Br J Dermatol
Year:
2009
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Japan