title: Timing of nimodipine therapy for the treatment of vocal fold paralysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To retrospectively determine optimal timing for initiation of nimodipine within a cohort of patients with acute vocal fold paralysis (VFP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective patient review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects were divided into three groups: initiation within 15 days postinjury (n = 19), between 15 and 30 days postinjury (n = 23), or greater than 30 days postinjury (n = 11).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-one patients (53 paralyzed vocal folds [VFs]) met entrance criteria and were offered and started off-label nimodipine treatment. Thirty-six of 53 VFs recovered purposeful motion (67.9%). There was no significant difference in the rate of VF recovery among patients who began nimodipine within 15 days (68.4%), patients who started nimodipine between 15 and 30 days (73.9%) of nerve injury (P = .1405), and patients who initiated nimodipine after 30 days postinjury (54.5%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nimodipine treatment for acute VFP yielded equal VF motion recovery rates regardless of when the medication was initiated. Time to recovery of motion was not different between groups studied.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh Voice Center.
authors.forename: Shaum S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Sridharan
authors.forename: Clark A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Rosen
authors.forename: Libby J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: VyVy N
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Michael C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Munin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004576:Electromyography / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009553:Nimodipine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D056687:Off-Label Use; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D061226:Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014826:Vocal Cord Paralysis / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D009553:Nimodipine
keywords: Nimodipine; laryngeal electromyography; laryngeal muscle innervation; nerve regeneration/drug effects; timing; vocal cord paralysis