[Tiapride with the horn of saiga tatarica in the treatment of hemifacial spasm].
OBJECTIVE
Tiapride has been used effectively in the clinic for the treatment of dyskinesias and tic disorders including Tourette syndrome. The purpose of the retrospective study is to evaluate the effectiveness of tiapride with the horn of saiga tatarica in treatment of hemifacial spasm.


METHODS
Twenty-eight patients with idiopathic hemifacial spasm, who were previously treated with carbamazepine, or acupuncture, or botulinum toxin injection, but refused to continue the previous therapies, were treated with tiapride, at a dosage of 50 mg/time once to thrice per day, combined with the horn of saiga tatarica at a dosage of 0.15 g to 0.30 g/time once per day. The dosage of tiapride can been up to 100 mg/time once to thrice per day in some cases if necessary. The effectiveness of the therapy was evaluated from the time of three months after the beginning of the treatment. The main efficacy parameter was the degree of spasm reduction, that is, the classification of spasm before versus after the treatment.


RESULTS
The duration of following up is between 3 months and 12 months. Twenty-five cases out of 28 patients have demonstrated a significant reduction of spasm. Of which, eight cases were completely relieved, 12 cases marked relieved and 5 cases partially relieved. The effective rate is 89.29%.


CONCLUSIONS
Tiapride combined with the horn of saiga tatarica was effective and safe in reducing hemifacial spasm. However, further data from blinded trials and long-term following up are required before this treatment can be considered to be one of the main medical treatment options for hemifacial spasm.
Zhang
Honglian
H
Department of Preventive Medicine and Health-care, Union Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022. zhl@whuh.com
Cheng
Shiqing
S
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000866:Antelopes; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D019569:Hemifacial Spasm / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006733:Horns; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008419:Materia Medica / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013976:Tiapamil Hydrochloride / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D008419:Materia Medica; D013976:Tiapamil Hydrochloride