title: Low dose botulinum toxin in spasmodic torticollis.
abstract: Botulinum toxin has been successfully used to treat spasmodic torticollis. The optimum dosage is not clear and the recommended doses in the United Kingdom are 20-25 ng. We have used much lower doses (average 13 ng) without loss of efficacy and accompanied by a reduction in side effects. We treated 12 patients (eight women and four men) with a mean duration of torticollis of 4 years. Eleven of the 12 patients (91%) showed an improvement in total scores for pain and degree of head movement. The benefits appeared a week after treatment and lasted for 3 months. Side effects were minimal and transient. Our experience suggests low doses of the toxin may be equally efficacious.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Leicester Royal Infirmary.
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: D'Costa
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Abbott
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001905:Botulinum Toxins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013035:Spasm / Q000188:drug therapy; D014103:Torticollis / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D001905:Botulinum Toxins