The prevalence of anxiety and depression in patients with or without hyperhidrosis (HH)

Abstract

Background: There are conflicting data about the correlation between hyperhidrosis (HH) and anxiety and depression.

Objective: We sought to determine the prevalence of anxiety and depression in patients with or without HH.

Methods: We examined 2017 consecutive dermatology outpatients from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and Shanghai, China, using Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scales for anxiety and depression assessments. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate if the impact of HH on anxiety and depression is dependent on demographic factors and diagnoses of the patients' presenting skin conditions.

Results: The prevalence of anxiety and depression was 21.3% and 27.2% in patients with HH, respectively, and 7.5% and 9.7% in patients without HH, respectively (P value <.001 for both). There were positive correlations between HH severity and the prevalence of anxiety and depression. Multivariable analysis showed that HH-associated increase in anxiety and depression prevalence is independent of demographic factors and presenting skin conditions.

Limitation: The data from the questionnaires relied on the accuracy of patients' self-reports.

Conclusion: Both single variant and multivariable analyses showed a significant association between HH and the prevalence of anxiety and depression in a HH severity-dependent manner.

Keywords: anxiety; depression; dermatology; late-onset hyperhidrosis; multivariable logistic regression analysis; negative impact; primary hyperhidrosis.