Plantar focal idiopathic hyperhidrosis and botulinum toxin: a pilot study

Abstract

Botulinum toxin is a safe and effective treatment for idiopatic focal axillary and palmar hyperhidrosis, but very few data are reported in the literature on its effect on plantar idiopatic hyperhidrosis. The current study was undertaken to investigate the impact of BTX-A administration on sweat production and quality of life in patients suffering from plantar hyperhidrosis. Ten patients with idiopathic, recalcitrant plantar hyperhidrosis were included in a pilot study and underwent intradermal injections with 100 MU of BTX-A in the plantar skin, bilaterally. All the patients were followed for 16 weeks after treatment with objective (Minor's test) and subjective (DLQI test) evaluation. Patients experienced an improvement of symptoms with a significant decrease of Minor's test and DLQI levels for 12 weeks. No significant side effects occurred in any treated patient. BTX-A seems to be a promising treatment for plantar hyperhidrosis. However, clinical trials on larger patient series are needed in order to evaluate its safety and effectiveness for this application.