title: Determinants and status of quality of life after long-term botulinum toxin therapy for cervical dystonia.
abstract: The aim of this study was to assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL), using the Short Form Health Survey-36 (SF-36), in 70 cervical dystonia (CD) patients after long-term botulinum toxin (BTX) treatment (median 5.5 years), and to identify factors determining reduced HRQoL. We used combined patient-and physician-based measures to assess both CD severity [Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale, (TWSTRS)] and effect of long-term BTX treatment, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD) and General Health Questionnaire-30 to assess psychological distress. Mean SF-36 domain scores of the CD patients were reduced by <1 SD compared with age- and gender-matched population samples. High TWSTRS total scores and high HAD-depression (HAD-D) scores were the main factors associated with reduced scores in the physical and mental SF-36 domains, respectively. Patients evaluated to have a 'good effect' of long-term BTX treatment (n = 47), had significantly lower median TWSTRS total score, and a 3x lower frequency of high HAD-D scores, than those evaluated to an 'unsatisfactory effect' (n = 23). In conclusion, most CD patients enjoy a good HRQoL after long-term BTX therapy. Reduced HRQoL was associated with more severe disease and/or depressive symptoms.
authors: Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway. i.m.skogseid@medisin.uio.no
authors: I M
authors: IM
authors: Skogseid
authors: U F
authors: UF
authors: Malt
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Røislien
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Kerty
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001905:Botulinum Toxins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D013995:Time; D014103:Torticollis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*
chemical_list: D001905:Botulinum Toxins