Clinical assessment of patients with primary and postparalytic hemifacial spasm: a retrospective study.
OBJECTIVE
To compared the clinical features of 373 patients with primary and postparalytic hemifacial spasm (HFS).


METHODS
Data analyzed were gender, ethnicity, age at symptom onset, disease duration, affected side, distribution of facial spasm at onset, hypertension, family history of HFS, previous history of facial palsy and latency between facial palsy and HFS.


RESULTS
The prevalence of patients with Asian origin was similar in both groups such as female/male ratio, mean age at symptom onset, disease duration, affected side and distribution at onset of facial twitching. The upper left side of the face was the main affected region at onset. Almost 40% of the patients in both groups had hypertension. A prevalence of vascular abnormalities on the posterior fossa was seen in 7% and 12.5% of both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The clinical profile and radiological findings of patients with primary and postparalytic HFS are similar. The association of hypertension with vascular abnormalities and HFS was not frequent.
Felicio
Andre Carvalho
AC
Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Avenida Bosque da Saúde 834/193, 04142-081 São Paulo, SP, Brazil. cf.andre@terra.com.br
Godeiro-Junior
Clecio de Oliveira
Cde O
Borges
Vanderci
V
Silva
Sonia Maria de Azevedo
SM
Ferraz
Henrique Ballalai
HB
D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019569:Hemifacial Spasm / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011930:Reaction Time; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A