title: Comparison of clinical characteristics of patients with adductor laryngeal dystonia in the focal and segmental types.
abstract: Dystonia is a central motor processing neurological disorder characterized by abnormal, often action-induced, involuntary movements or uncontrolled spasms.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare patients with the diagnoses of focal and segmental adductor laryngeal dystonia at the Neurolarynx Outpatient Clinic of the Federal University of São Paulo.
  
  
  METHODS
  A clinical retrospective study of data collected from patient registries from 2003 to 2009.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 34 patients, 25 presented focal dystonia and 9 presented segmental dystonia. There were 30 females (88. 2%) and 4 males (11. 8%). A relation with a traumatic event was reported in 11 cases (32. 4%). Vocal tremor was observed in 21 patients (61. 8%). The mean age at onset, the age at diagnosis, and time between the onset and the diagnosis were respectively 55, 61. 3 and 6. 3 years. There was no statistical difference between patients with focal laryngeal adductor dystonia and segmental dystonia in the study data.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There were no statistical differences among patients with focal adductor laryngeal dystonia and segmental dystonia relating to age of onset, age of diagnosis, gender, time between onset and diagnosis, presence of associated tremor, and relation to trauma.
authors.affiliation: Medical doctor, doctoral degree in sciences, Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery Department, São Paulo Federal University, UNIFESP.
authors.forename: Gustavo Polacow
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Korn
authors.affiliation: Speech therapist, master's degree, specialist in human communications disorders, São Paulo Federal University, UNIFESP. Expert on voice, CEV.
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moraes
authors.affiliation: Medical doctor, Neurology Department, São Paulo Federal University, UNIFESP. Associate professor in the Neurology Department, São Paulo Federal University, UNIFESP.
authors.forename: Luiz Celso Pereira
authors.initials: LCP
authors.lastname: Vilanova
authors.affiliation: Medical doctor, graduate student in the Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery Department, São Paulo Federal University, UNIFESP.
authors.forename: Bruno Teixeira
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: de Moraes
authors.affiliation: Speech therapist, expert on voice. Doctoral degree, Human Communications Science Department. Speech therapist, São Paulo Federal University, UNIFESP. Professor of the Specialization Course on Voice, CEV.
authors.forename: Glaucya
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Madazio
authors.affiliation: Speech therapist, expert on voice. Master's degree. Human Communications Science Department. Speech therapist, São Paulo Federal University, UNIFESP. Graduate student, Human Communications Science Department. Speech therapist, São Paulo Federal University, UNIFESP.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Padovani
authors.affiliation: Medical doctor, associate professor in Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery Department, São Paulo Federal University, UNIFESP. Collaborator in the Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery Department, São Paulo Federal University, UNIFESP. Associate professor, speech therapy course, PUC-SP.
authors.forename: Noemi Grigoletto
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: De Biase
mesh_terms: D004421:Dystonia / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007818:Laryngeal Diseases / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007821:Laryngeal Muscles; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies