title: Continuous facial myokymia in multiple sclerosis: treatment with botulinum toxin.
abstract: Continuous facial myokymia (CFM) is an involuntary undulating, vermicular movement that spreads across facial muscles and is associated with a characteristic electromyographic pattern. It is an infrequent clinical sign that almost always occurs in intrinsic brainstem lesions, particularly in multiple sclerosis (MS). It is usually present for only a few weeks, but it may persist for long periods of time being very troublesome for patients. We report 2 cases with MS and continuous hemifacial myokymia persisting for up to 1 month which disappeared after injection of botulinum toxin. Botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) has been used successfully to treat a variety of focal dystonias and occasionally in orbicularis myokymia, but its use has not been reported in continuous hemifacial myokymia. BTX-A appears to be effective and safe for treating persistent facial myokymia in MS patients.
authors.affiliation: Neurology Unit 'General Yagüe' Hospital, Burgos, Spain.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Sedano
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Trejo
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Macarrón
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Polo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Berciano
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Calleja
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004576:Electromyography; D005152:Facial Muscles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000294:innervation*; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000188:drug therapy; D020385:Myokymia / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A