Botulinum toxin B in the treatment of craniofacial hyperhidrosis.

BACKGROUND: Hyperhidrosis affects up to 3% of the population and negatively affects patients' quality of life. Craniofacial hyperhidrosis is a common complaint which has been successfully treated with botulinum toxin B (Btx B) since 2004 at our hidrosis clinics. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and clinical effect of Btx B in craniofacial hyperhidrosis. METHODS: The dermatology life quality index (DLQI) was monitored before and after treatment in 38 patients with craniofacial hyperhidrosis. Sweating before and after treatment was monitored by measuring trans epidermal water loss and by collecting gravimetric data. Global Assessment of Therapy in a 5-grade scale was captured. RESULTS: DLQI scores were significantly improved at follow-up 2-4 weeks posttreatment and sweating was significantly reduced. DLQI scores before treatment were 13 ± 1 (mean ± SD) and posttreatment 5 ± 1 which was highly statistically significant (P < 0.001). Sweating before treatment monitored with trans epidermal water loss was 52 ± 31 g/m(2) /h which decreased to 18 ± 7 g/m(2) /h (P < 0.001) posttreatment. Gravimetric data yielded a sweat rate of 0.07 ± 0.08 mg/min at baseline, which consequently dropped to 0.02 ± 0.05 mg/min (P < 0.05) posttreatment. Regarding the Global Assessment of Therapy 87% of the patients were satisfied (score 4-5) with the treatment result. In a 2-year follow-up, 74% returned for further treatments after a median time of 5 months. Side-effects were mild and most commonly reported was stiffness of the forehead and the eyebrows. CONCLUSIONS: In this prospective, uncontrolled study Btx B seems to be both a safe and effective treatment in craniofacial hyperhidrosis improving quality of life and reducing extreme sweating.

Botulinum toxin in the treatment of sweat-worsened foot problems in patients with epidermolysis bullosa simplex and pachyonychia congenita.

BACKGROUND: Painful foot blistering is a common problem in patients with epidermolysis bullosa simplex (EBS) and pachyonychia congenita (PC). Hyperhidrosis, a condition which can be effectively blocked by plantar injections of botulinum toxin (Btx), often exacerbates the blistering. OBJECTIVES: A retrospective evaluation of the effects of Btx injections in 14 patients with EBS and PC with foot blisters and painful callosities. METHODS: After informed consent, patients with EBS (n = 6) and PC (n = 8), aged 7-66 years, who had received Btx therapy at our centre since 2003, were included. The treatment consisted of multiple plantar injections of Btx A or Btx B after prior regional or general anaesthesia. Patients were interviewed about the treatment effect and were asked to score the improvement from 0 to 5, where 5 is 'excellent'. One patient with PC with painful callosities was studied by magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopic microimaging before and after Btx injections to disclose any underlying blisters. RESULTS: In total, 76 treatments were evaluated (one to 19 sessions per patient). Thirteen patients (93%) reported reduced plantar blistering and pain; the improvement score was ≥ 4 in four of six patients with EBS and six of eight patients with PC. The mean effect duration was 3 months. No adverse events, apart from mild anticholinergic side-effects in two patients, were noted. MR spectroscopic microimaging showed disappearance of intraepidermal blistering after Btx therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Plantar injection of Btx is an efficient, long-lasting and safe treatment of painful blistering and callosities in EBS and PC that can be given repeatedly without loss of efficacy.

Treatment of pachyonychia congenita with plantar injections of botulinum toxin.

Pachyonychia congenita (PC) is a rare genodermatosis which may be associated with painful, focal hyperkeratosis on the soles. Plantar sweating at high ambient temperatures increases the blistering of the callosities. We report three patients with PC who had great problems in walking, especially during summer time. They were treated with intracutaneous plantar injections of botulinum toxin type A (Dysport, 100 U mL(-1); Ipsen, Slough, U.K.) after prior intravenous regional anaesthesia of the foot with a low tourniquet and 25 mL prilocaine (5 mg mL(-1)). Within a week all three patients experienced dryness and a remarkable relief of pain from plantar pressure sites. The effect duration was 6 weeks to 6 months. Repeated injections over a 2-year period confirmed the good results, with no side-effects or tachyphylaxis noted.

Side-effects of intradermal injections of botulinum A toxin in the treatment of palmar hyperhidrosis: a neurophysiological study.

Focal palmar hyperhidrosis can be effectively abolished by intradermal injections with botulinum toxin. Muscle weakness of finger grip has been reported as a reversible side-effect of this new treatment. The objective of this work was to measure muscular side-effects after treatment of palmar hyperhidrosis with botulinum toxin. As botulinum toxin has been used in the treatment of pain, we studied whether the toxin might influence afferent thin-fibre function by measuring temperature perception thresholds. Thirty-seven patients treated with botulinum toxin (Botox, Allergan Pharmaceuticals, Irvine, CA, USA) showed a decrease in compound muscle action potential (CMAP) for both abductor pollicis brevis (APB) and abductor digiti minimi (ADM) compared with pre-injection values on average by 64 and 36%, respectively, at 3 weeks which returned nearly to normal at 37 weeks. Muscle power for both finger abduction and finger opposition decreased to a lesser extent. Repetitive nerve stimulation and single fibre electromyography (EMG) showed a disturbed neuromuscular transmission. Thus, despite careful technique with small doses of botulinum toxin injected intradermally, the toxin diffuses to underlying muscles. With regard to the present results, one should be careful in using higher doses of Botox than 0.8 mU/cm(2) in the palmar skin above intrinsic muscles. No influence on thin-fibre function was seen.

Occupational dermatitis in dental personnel: contact dermatitis with special reference to (meth)acrylates in 174 patients.

Between 1995 and 1998, 174 dental personnel were referred as patients to the Department of Occupational and Environmental Dermatology, Stockholm. After clinical examination, 131 were patch tested with the Swedish standard series and 109 with a dental screening series. Furthermore, 137 were tested for IgE-mediated allergy to natural rubber latex (NRL). Hand eczema was diagnosed in 109/174 (63%), 73 (67%) being classified as irritant contact dermatitis and 36 (33%) as allergic. Further diagnoses included other eczemas, urticaria, rosacea, psoriasis, tinea pedis, bullous pemphigoid or no skin disease. 77/131 (59%) had positive reactions to substances in the standard series and 44/109 (40%) to substances exclusive to the dental series. 24/109 (22%) patients had positive reactions to (meth)acrylates, the majority with reactions to several test preparations. Reactions to HEMA (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate), EGDMA (ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate) and MMA (methyl methacrylate) were most frequent. 9 of the 24 were positive only to (meth)acrylates, the remaining 15 also had reactions to allergens in the standard series. 23 of these had hand eczema and 1 facial eczema. In 17 of the 24 allergic to (meth)acrylates, the dermatitis had started in 1995 or later, in 15 within the previous 12 months. Of 8 who had been sick-listed, 7 also had a history of atopy and 6 were allergic to nickel. The most frequent allergens besides (meth)acrylates were nickel, cobalt, palladium, fragrance mix, colophonium and thiuram mix. Allergy to natural rubber latex was diagnosed in 14/137 (10%). In conclusion, irritant hand dermatitis was the dominant diagnosis. Contact allergy to (meth)acrylate was seen in 22% of the patch tested patients, with reactions to 3 predominant test substances. 1/3 of the patients with allergy to (meth)acrylates had been sick-listed for dermatitis, but in all these cases the (meth)acrylate allergy was seen together with atopy and/or further contact allergies.

Botulinum A toxin improves life quality in severe primary focal hyperhidrosis.

Focal hyperhidrosis is a condition that may disturb emotional, social and professional life. Treatment options for severe cases are surgical sympathectomy and local chemical sweat gland denervation by intradermal injections of botulinum toxin A (Btx A). The Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) is a simple validated questionnaire designed to measure and compare disability in different skin diseases. The aim of this study was to assess quality of life with the DLQI before and after treatment with botulinum toxin injections in a group of patients with severe hyperhidrosis. DLQI was administered to 58 randomly chosen patients before and after treatment. All patients answered the DLQI questionnaire prior to treatment and 53/58 at mean 5.2 months after treatment. The mean DLQI score in the 58 patients before treatment was 10.3 (2-23). In the group of 16/53 patients who had a relapse of sweating when answering the DLQI a second time, no significant improvement was seen [score 10.6 before and 8.8 after treatment (P = 0.21)]. In patients without relapse, a 76% improvement was obtained (DLQI was reduced from 9.9 to 2.4; P < 0.0001). The study showed that focal hyperhidrosis may considerably reduce life quality and the disability experienced by the patients can be largely reversed by botulinum toxin injections.

Potent corticosteroid cream (mometasone furoate) significantly reduces acute radiation dermatitis: results from a double-blind, randomized study.

PURPOSE: Radiation-induced dermatitis is a very common side effect of radiation therapy, and may necessitate interruption of the therapy. There is a substantial lack of evidence-based treatments for this condition. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of mometasone furoate cream (MMF) on radiation dermatitis in a prospective, double-blind, randomized study. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study comprised 49 patients with node-negative breast cancer. They were operated on with sector resection and scheduled for postoperative radiotherapy using photons with identical radiation qualities and dosage to the breast parenchyma. The patients were randomized to receive either MMF or emollient cream. The cream was applied on the irradiated skin twice a week from the start of radiotherapy until the 12th fraction (24 Gy) and thereafter once daily until 3 weeks after completion of radiation. Both groups additionally received non-blinded emollient cream daily. The intensity of the acute radiation dermatitis was evaluated on a weekly basis regarding erythema and pigmentation, using a reflectance spectrophotometer together with visual scoring of the skin reactions. RESULTS: MMF in combination with emollient cream treatment significantly decreased acute radiation dermatitis (P=0.0033) compared with emollient cream alone. There was no significant difference in pigmentation between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Adding MMF, a potent topical corticosteroid, to an emollient cream is statistically significantly more effective than emollient cream alone in reducing acute radiation dermatitis.

Palmar and axillary hyperhidrosis treated with botulinum toxin: one-year clinical follow-up.

Focal hyperhidrosis is a common and sometimes handicapping condition for which the presently most effective treatment, sympathectomy, often leads to irreversible side-effects. We aimed to study effectiveness and tolerability of an alternative treatment with botulinum toxin injections over a period of one year for this condition. Twenty-eight patients with palmar (n = 19) and/or axillary (n = 13) hyperhidrosis were treated with intracutaneous injections of botulinum toxin (Botox(R)) 2 U/4 cm2. Sweat function was studied clinically and by objective measurements after treatment of one side. Treated and untreated sides, and pre- and post-treatment skin areas were compared. Subjective evaluation was performed after treatment of one side and 2-5 months after treatment of both sides. Duration of effect was controlled by a one-year follow-up. Sweating disappeared in eight out of 13 patients with axillary and in five out of 19 with palmar hyperhidrosis, and was reduced markedly in another five out of 13 and 10 out of 19 patients. Two-thirds of those treated for hand sweat noticed a slight and transient reduction of power of finger grip. No side-effects were noticed after treatment of axillary hyperhidrosis. We find intracutaneous injections of botulinum toxin with this technique safe and effective, and due to the relatively long duration of effect the treatment should be recommended before sympathectomy for focal hyperhidrosis.