Questionnaire-based epidemiological survey of primary focal hyperhidrosis and survey on current medical management of primary axillary hyperhidrosis in Japan.

To obtain current epidemiological information on primary focal hyperhidrosis in Japan, a large epidemiological survey was conducted using a web-based questionnaire. The prevalence of primary focal hyperhidrosis was 10.0% and the site-specific prevalence was highest for primary axillary hyperhidrosis (5.9%). The proportion of respondents with primary focal hyperhidrosis who had consulted a physician was 4.6%, which was similar to the low prevalence reported previously in 2013 in Japan. A questionnaire survey for physicians and individuals with primary axillary hyperhidrosis on the current medical management of primary axillary hyperhidrosis showed that physicians recognized the existence of patients who were very worried about hyperhidrosis, but failed to provide active treatment. Regarding the information provided by patients to physicians at presentation, it was found that patients failed to provide sufficient information to the physicians about their worries in daily life. Among individuals who had sought medical care with primary axillary hyperhidrosis, 62.3% reported that they were not currently receiving treatment, highlighting a challenge to be addressed regarding continued treatment. Frequently chosen options leading to willingness to receive treatment were less expensive treatment and highly effective treatment as well as feeling free to consult a physician, suggesting a desire for an improved medical environment.

[Pharmacological profiles and clinical effects of amenamevir tablet as treatments for herpes zoster].

Herpes zoster is a viral infectious disease caused by reactivation of varicella zoster virus (VZV) in a latently infected ganglion, and is characterized by blistering and pain developing in a zonal region innervated from the ganglion. Amenamevir is an antiherpes agent that does not have a nucleic acid-like structure, and exerts antiviral action by inhibiting the enzymatic activity of a virus-derived helicase-primase complex, which is considered essential for viral DNA replication. Amenamevir is mainly metabolized by CYP3A, and excreted into feces. In in vitro antiviral testing, amenamevir demonstrated higher antiviral activity against ZV than aciclovir, and its antiviral activity did not diminish even against acyclovir-resistant VZV. In a phase III clinical study in patients with herpes zoster in Japan, cessation of new rash formation by the 4th day of administration, the primary endpoint of the study, was observed in 81.1% of the patients given oral administration of amenamevir 400 mg once daily after meal, verifying its non-inferiority to valaciclovir hydrochloride (P<0.0001 by non-inferiority test using Farrington-Manning test extended to Mantel-Haenszel type adjustment). Adverse reactions were observed in 10.0% (25/249 patients), and were mainly abnormal clinical laboratory tests results. Based on the above results, the efficacy and safety of amenamevir tablet 400 mg once daily administration in herpes zoster treatment have been confirmed, and amenamevir can be a novel treatment option in Japan.