title: Diagnosis and misdiagnosis of hemifacial spasm: a clinical and video study.
abstract: Early recognition of hemifacial spasm (HFS) is important as it can be effectively treated. 203 family physicians participated in a video "test" on HFS. Only 9.4% (19/203) were able to diagnose HFS. 94 (46.3%) of them did not know how to manage the condition. Twenty-two (10.8%) would use steroids as a treatment and 13 (6.4%) felt no treatment was needed. Only 27 (13.3%) indicated that botulinum toxin could be employed to treat HFS. The year of graduation of the doctors significantly correlated with a correct diagnosis (P<0.05). The low positive diagnostic rate (25.7%) of HFS from referrals to the movement disorder clinic corroborated findings from the video test.
authors.affiliation: SingHealth Polyclinics-Pasir Ris, Singapore.
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: E K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: L W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Khin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018726:Anti-Dyskinesia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001364:Awareness / Q000502:physiology; D001905:Botulinum Toxins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D019569:Hemifacial Spasm / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D014741:Video Recording / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D018726:Anti-Dyskinesia Agents; D001905:Botulinum Toxins