The Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Addressability to Treatment of Children with Hyperhidrosis—A Retrospective Study and a Short Review

Abstract

Introduction: This study was carried out to demonstrate the negative influence that the COVID-19 pandemic had on the ability of patients to treat hyperhidrosis with iontophoresis. The purpose of this study is to identify the annual distribution of patients with hyperhidrosis as well as elaborate a curve of cases within the time interval studied. Methods: It is a retrospective study initiated in the Department of Neuropsychomotor Rehabilitation of the “Sf. Ioan” Emergency Clinical Hospital for Children, Galati, Romania, in which we analyzed the electronic database, the treatment, and the consultation files of all the children who presented between January 2013 and December 2023. We found 111 patients who met the inclusion criteria. Results: During the 3 years of the pandemic, the number of patients who came to our clinic suddenly dropped to 0. Limitations: This study was conducted on a relatively small number of patients in a Neuropsychomotor Recovery clinic. This study includes only patients with palmar and/or plantar hyperhidrosis who presented to the clinic for iontophoresis. Conclusion: Although it is a disease that significantly influences the quality of life, patients and their families do not consider hyperhidrosis to be an urgent problem that can be improved by treatment.

Keywords

• hyperhidrosis
• iontophoresis
• COVID-19 pandemic
• quality of life