Botulinum toxin type A and cervical dystonia: a seven-year follow-up

• Main Authors: Carlos Henrique F. Camargo, Hélio Afonso G. Teive, Nilson Becker, Renato P. Munhoz, Lineu César Werneck
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Academia Brasileira de Neurologia (ABNEURO) 2011-10-01
• Series: Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria
• Subjects: distonia cervical; toxina botulínica; disfagia
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0004-282X2011000600004&lng=en&tlng=en

Most cases of cervical dystonia (CD) are idiopathic, and focal injections of botulinum toxin A (BoNT/A) are the treatment of choice. The objective of our study was to document the effects of long-term BoNT/A treatment in idiopathic CD patients. Fifty-eight patients with idiopathic CD were recruited from March 2001 to May 2002. Twenty-eight of the subjects were available for reassessment after seven years. During this period, all had received regular treatment with BoNT/A injections. Clinical information about patients and the severity of CD (TWSTRS and VAPS) at baseline assessment (2001-2002) and follow-up (2008-2009) was compared. Significant motor improvement was detected based on TWSTRS scale scores, which were used to analyze clinical severity (19.6±6.6 and 17.7±4.8; p<0.05). There was no improvement in the severity of cervical pain (p=0.43). In conclusion, BoNT/A was a safe and effective long-term therapy for CD.