title: Systematic Literature Review of AbobotulinumtoxinA in Clinical Trials for Blepharospasm and Hemifacial Spasm.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim was to elucidate clinical trial efficacy, safety, and dosing practices of abobotulinumtoxinA (ABO) treatment in adult patients with blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm. To date, most literature reviews for blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm have examined the effectiveness of all botulinum neurotoxin type A products as a class. However, differences in dosing units and recommended schemes provide a clear rationale for reviewing each product separately.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic literature review was performed to identify randomized controlled trials and other comparative clinical studies of ABO in the treatment of blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm published in English between January 1991 and March 2015. Medical literature databases (PubMed, Cochrane library, EMBASE) were searched. A total of five primary publications that evaluated ABO for the management of blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm were identified and summarized.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data included 374 subjects with blepharospasm and 172 subjects with hemifacial spasm treated with ABO. Total ABO doses ranged between 80 and 340 U for blepharospasm and 25 and 85 U for hemifacial spasm, depending on the severity of the clinical condition. All studies showed statistically significant benefits for the treatment of blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm. ABO was generally well tolerated across the individual studies. Adverse events considered to be associated with ABO treatment included: ptosis, tearing, blurred vision, double vision, dry eyes, and facial weakness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data from 5 randomized clinical studies represents the available evidence base of ABO in blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm. Future studies in this area will add to this evidence base.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Loma Linda University Health, Loma Linda, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Khashayar
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dashtipour
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Marshall B. Ketchum University, Fullerton, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Jack J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Loma Linda University Health, Loma Linda, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Frei
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Fatta
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nahab
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tagliati
keywords: AbobotulinumtoxinA; blepharospasm; botulinum toxin; hemifacial spasm