Adjusting oral glycopyrrolate medication for hyperhidrosis to reflect seasonal temperature variations.

Abstract

The condition of most patients with hyperhidrosis (HH) is known to worsen with increased temperature. However, most prior studies of oral glycopyrrolate (OGly) for the treatment of HH have assumed a stable treatment protocol, without taking into account seasonal variations in temperature. The main aim of this study is to evaluate the outcomes derived from performing a seasonal adjustment of the dose of OGly for patients with HH. A prospective study of patients who began OGly for HH, and maintained treatment for at least 1 year, was performed. All patients had experienced treatment failure with oral oxybutynin. All were recommended to vary the dose of medication according to the time of year. Of the 35 patients included in the study, 20 (57.14%) varied the dose. Those with palmar and plantar HH had a greater propensity to do so. The patients who varied the dose according to the time of year were significantly more likely to report an "Excellent" response after 12 months of treatment. The frequency of adverse effects was 71.4% with no significant differences among the study groups. However, there was a significantly higher proportion of adverse effects other than oral xerosis in the group that did not vary the dose.