Ann Dermatol.  2017 Dec;29(6):728-734. 10.5021/ad.2017.29.6.728.

Treatment of Palmar Hyperhidrosis with Tap Water Iontophoresis: A Randomized, Sham-Controlled, Single-Blind, and Parallel-Designed Clinical Trial

• Kim DH
• Kim TH
• Lee SH
• Lee AY

• KMID: 2395180
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5021/ad.2017.29.6.728

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Palmar hyperhidrosis is a common disorder of excessive sweating. A number of studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of iontophoresis in the treatment of palmar hyperhidrosis. However, controlled clinical studies on iontophoresis for palmar hyperhidrosis have been limited.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the efficacy and safety of iontophoresis in the treatment of palmar hyperhidrosis with a randomized, sham-controlled, single-blind, and parallel-designed study.
METHODS
Twenty nine patients with significant palmar hyperhidrosis were enrolled in this study. They received active iontophoresis treatment (group A) or sham treatment (group B). Iontophoresis was performed 20 minutes each time, five times per week, for 2 weeks. Its efficacy was assessed with starch-iodine test, mean sweat secretion rate, and hyperhidrosis disease severity scale.
RESULTS
Twenty-seven of the 29 patients completed the 2-week treatment. After completion of 10 times of treatment, results of the starch-iodine test showed clinical improvement in 92.9% of patients in group A and 38.5% of patients in group B (p=0.001). The mean sweat secretion rate was reduced by 91.8% of patients in group A and by 39.1% of patients in group B (p<0.001). Improvement in quality of life was reported by 78.6% of patients in group A and by 30.8% of patients in group B (p=0.028). In group A, one case of localized adverse event was noted, although no adverse event was encountered in group B.
CONCLUSION
Tap water iontophoresis could be used as an effective and safe treatment modality for palmar hyperhidrosis.

Keyword

Hyperhidrosis; Iontophoresis

MeSH Terms

Humans
Hyperhidrosis*
Iontophoresis*
Placebos
Quality of Life
Sweat
Sweating
Water*
Placebos
Water

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Flow chart showing the number of patients used in this study.

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  Fig. 2 Representative results of the starch-iodine test at baseline (A, B), immediate after completing the 10 times of treatment (C, D), and 1 week after completing the treatment (E, F) in patient group A and group B, respectively.

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