Sir:
Many thanks to the authors of this article for their contribution to the investigation of odor assessment.1 In response to the authors’ citation of my article as one of the references and the mentioning of three components [(E)-3-methyl-2-hexenoic acid, 3-methyl-3-hydroxyhexanoic acid, and 3-methyl-3-sulfanylhexan-1-ol], I would like to present my experience during the experiment as a reference for the reader, as the authors mentioned that none of these components was detected on the shirts.2
The preliminary step was the collection of sweat. A gauze was used to collect sweat from the axilla, and the specimen was sent directly to the laboratory on the day of the test to measure the data. Another sample was kept in the refrigerator for a day or two and then sent for testing. Whether the sample was kept frozen or chilled, it was found that the odor component fades away significantly fast. It was found that these three components disappear rapidly after leaving the human body and are presumed to decompose into other odor particles. Therefore, in our experimental design, we strictly controlled the temperature of the day, asked the patient to exercise for a specified period of time, used a certain method of collection, and sent the sample instantaneously to the laboratory for immediate testing to ensure that the comparison of the difference between prior- and postcondition was consistent.
Assuming that the odor components fade away faster at high temperatures and high moisture, if testing is done after a period of time, it is only natural not to be able to detect these components. If what we measure belongs to the upstream secretion, the faded odor components of this complex path should be rarely explored. So much so, the downstream components might be another group of culprits causing the odor.
I hope that my discussion and experience on this point can give further insight into this topic.
DISCLOSURE
The author has no financial interests to declare in relation to the content of this article.
REFERENCES
- 1.Kubomura K, Ogawa R, Sasaki N, et al. Objective odor assessment in patients with osmidrosis. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2022;10:e4622. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 2.Ho WT, Lee LJ, Pan JY. Following changes in the axillary secretions of two patients before and after bromhidrosis surgery using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Dermatol Surg. 2017;43:459–462. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]