Botulinum toxin therapy for focal dystonia

Dystonia is a syndrome characterized by sustained muscle contraction. It is frequently causing twisting and repetitive movements, or leading to development abnormal postures. The management of the disease is usually consists of medication, surgical interventions, botulinum toxin injection, or other...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Orvosi hetilap Vol. 150; no. 29; p. 1381
Main Authors:	Hahn, Katalin, Niklai, Erzsébet, Garzuly, Ferenc, Szupera, Zoltán
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	Hungarian
Published:	Hungary 19-07-2009
Subjects:	Aged Blepharospasm - drug therapy Botulinum Toxins, Type A - administration & dosage Botulinum Toxins, Type A - adverse effects Botulinum Toxins, Type A - therapeutic use Dystonic Disorders - drug therapy Dystonic Disorders - physiopathology Female Hemifacial Spasm - drug therapy Humans Hungary Injections Male Middle Aged Retrospective Studies Torticollis - drug therapy Treatment Outcome Hungary
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Summary:	Dystonia is a syndrome characterized by sustained muscle contraction. It is frequently causing twisting and repetitive movements, or leading to development abnormal postures. The management of the disease is usually consists of medication, surgical interventions, botulinum toxin injection, or other complementary methods. The authors have been using the botulinum toxin treatment since 1991. The goal of the study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of the botulinum toxin injection, in patients with focal dystonia and hemifacial spasm. A total of 94 patients diagnosed with cervical dystonia (n=33), blepharospasm (n=32), or hemifacial spasm (n=29) were treated. The mean age of the patients was 62.4 years, and the mean duration of the therapy was 6.8 years. The medication took place with local injection of botulinum toxin type A. The efficacy of the treatment was assessed with Patient Global Impression scale. The authors also evaluated the side effects and complications of the therapy, as well as the causes of the treatment discontinuation. The botulinum toxin treatment was effective in 92% of the patients. It is a great importance that the therapy resulted significantly improvement in 56% of the patients. There was no significant difference neither among the types of the dystonia (cervical dystonia 87%, blepharospasm 93%, and hemifacial spasm 96%), nor among the medications (Botox 92%, Dysport 92%) in point of efficacy. Temporary weakness occurred only at 6 patients. There was neither serious side effect, nor complication related to the treatment. The authors can conclude that the botulinum toxin injection is effective and safe therapy, in the patients with cervical dystonia, blepharospasm, and hemifacial spasm.
ISSN:	0030-6002
DOI:	10.1556/OH.2009.28640