title: The association between vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia and hemifacial spasm.
abstract: Hemifacial spasm (HFS) is frequently caused by vascular compression of the facial nerve. Vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia (VBDE) may cause vascular crowding in the limited space of the posterior fossa, increasing the chance of vascular compression of the facial nerve. We investigated the prevalence of VBDE in HFS.
  
  
  
  We analyzed the presence of VBDE on 3.0 T magnetic resonance images in patients with HFS and control subjects; age, sex and hypertension were matched. Two blinded readers independently assessed the images. We evaluated the vascular risk factors, including diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, ischemic heart disease, stroke, and presence of lacunes.
  
  
  
  A total of 310 patients with HFS and 310 control subjects were included. The prevalence of VBDE was higher in patients with HFS (48/310, 15.5%) than in controls (10/310, 3.2%), with an odds ratio (OR) of 5.82 (P < 0.001). Among patients with HFS, the presence of facial nerve compressing vessels was more frequent in dolichoectasia-positive patients (87.5%) than in dolichoectasia-negative patients (58.4%) (OR: 4.99, P < 0.001). Dolichoectasia-positive patients had a higher mean age (58.8 versus 54.8 years, P = 0.03), as well as greater frequency of hypertension (OR: 2.44, P = 0.01) and history of ischemic heart disease (OR: 5.05, P = 0.03) than their dolichoectasia-negative counterparts.
  
  
  
  We found that VBDE is associated with HFS in a portion of patients. Since vascular risk factors were more prevalent in dolichoectasia-positive patients, an investigation of VBDE and its risk factors may serve to prevent vascular complications.
authors: Department of Neurology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, South Korea.
authors: Kyeong Joon
authors: KJ
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Neurology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, South Korea. Electronic address: jongmin1@snu.ac.kr.
authors: Jong-Min
authors: JM
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, South Korea.
authors: Yun Jung
authors: YJ
authors: Bae
authors: Department of Neurology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, South Korea.
authors: Hee Joon
authors: HJ
authors: Bae
authors: Department of Neurology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, South Korea.
authors: Beomseok
authors: B
authors: Jeon
authors: Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, South Korea.
authors: Jae Hyung
authors: JH
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, South Korea.
authors: Jeong Ho
authors: JH
authors: Han
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, South Korea.
authors: Chang Wan
authors: CW
authors: Oh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D019569:Hemifacial Spasm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014715:Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*
keywords: Hemifacial spasm; Vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia