title: Cervical dystonia: clinical and therapeutic features in 85 patients.
abstract: We studied patients with cervical dystonia (CD) to determine clinical features and response to botulinum toxin A (BoNT/A). Patients were submitted to clinical, laboratory and neuroimaging evaluation. BoNT/A was injected locally in 81 patients using electromyographic guidance. Four patients who had had previous treatment were considered to be in remission. The average ages at onset of focal dystonia and segmental dystonia were greater than for generalized dystonia (p<0.0003). The severity of the abnormal head-neck movements were more severe among the patients with generalized dystonia (p<0.001). Pain in the cervical area was noted in 59 patients. It was not possible to determine the etiology of the disease in 62.3% of patients. Tardive dystonia was the most common secondary etiology. A major improvement in the motor symptoms of CD and pain was observed in patients following treatment with BoNT/A. The tardive dystonia subgroup did not respond to the treatment. Dysphagia was observed in 2.35% of the patients.
authors.affiliation: Neurology Service, Department of Clinical Medicine, Hospital de Clínicas, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carlos Henrique F
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Camargo
authors.forename: Hélio A G
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Teive
authors.forename: Nilson
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: Maria Helena Herdoíza
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Baran
authors.forename: Rosana Hermínia
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Scola
authors.forename: Lineu César
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Werneck
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009465:Neuromuscular Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014103:Torticollis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D009465:Neuromuscular Agents; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A