Relationship between depression scores and degree of skin perspiration: A novel cross-sectional study

Abstract

Primary hyperhidrosis (PH) is a common pathological condition related to excessive sweating. It may be associated with depression. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to analyse and compare depression scores between subjects without PH (degree-I) and patients with PH (degrees-II, -III, and -IV). The secondary aim was to describe and compare depression scores among subjects with different PH degrees (I—without perceptible perspiration, II—tolerable perspiration, III—hardly tolerable perspiration, and IV—intolerable perspiration). A sample of 100 subjects with a median age of 23.00 ± 6.00 years was recruited from an outpatient medical centre, where medical history data were registered. The degree of PH was determined using the Hyperhidrosis Disease Severity Scale from degrees I (mild) to IV (very severe). The depression scores were analysed using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Statistically significant differences (P < 0.001) were observed for higher BDI scores in the patients with PH (degrees II, III, and IV) than in those without PH (degree-I). Kruskal-Wallis tests demonstrated statistically significant differences for BDI scores (P < 0.001), with higher values for degree-III with respect to degree-I and degree-IV with respect to degree-I. Patients with a greater degree (especially III/IV) of PH showed higher BDI scores compared with subjects without PH.