Impact on quality of life of botulinum toxin treatments for essential blepharospasm.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the impact on quality of life of Botulinum toxin therapy for essential blepharospasm.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was undertaken using the Glasgow Benefit Inventory, in the form of a postal questionnaire, to assess the subjective patient benefit of Botulinum toxin treatments for essential blepharospasm in 44 consecutive patients attending a specialist Botulinum toxin clinic. (The Glasgow Benefit Inventory generates a score from -100 (maximum harm) through 0 (no effect) to +100 (maximum benefit) for the intervention under investigation.) The Wilcoxon signed-ranks test was used to test the significance of the total scores and subdomain scores.


RESULTS
A high response rate of 36 out of 44 (81.8%) was achieved. The median total benefit score was +29.2 (97.1% CI = 16.7 to 38.9, p < 0.0001). The median subdomain scores were: general +43.8 (97.1% CI = 20.8 to 54.2, p < 0.0001), social 0.0 (97.1% CI = 0.0 to 16.7, p = 0.0019) and physical 0.0 (97.1% CI = 0.0 to 0.0, p = 0.4810).


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates significant quality of life benefit from Botulinum toxin therapy for essential blepharospasm, and justifies continued treatment.
MacAndie
Kerr
K
Tennent Institute of Ophthalmology, Gartnavel General Hospital, Glasgow, UK. kmacandie@yahoo.co.uk
Kemp
Ewan
E
D000368:Aged; D001764:Blepharospasm / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009465:Neuromuscular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011788:Quality of Life; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D009465:Neuromuscular Agents; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A