Botulinum toxin A improves psychological distress in patients with hemifacial spasm.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

This study aimed at assessing mental health in patients with hemifacial spasm (HFS) and determined the effect of botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) on psychological distress in patients with HFS.

METHODS:

Ninety-five HFS patients and 95 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled. Symptom checklist-90 (SCL-90) scores were used to measure psychological distress in HFS patients and healthy controls. The mental health status of HFS patients was also evaluated by SCL-90, before and after the injection of BTX-A. Moreover, for those patients with abnormal mental health, efficacy outcomes after treatment with BTX-A were compared with a propensity score-matched historical cohort without BTX-A treatment.

RESULTS:

The mean scores for interpersonal sensitivity, phobia, anxiety, depression, and somatization were significantly higher among HFS patients than healthy people (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between female patients and male patients in HFS group (P > 0.05). There were significant improvements in somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, and phobia scores before and after treatment (P < 0.05). At 2 months, more patients experienced an improvement in psychological distress in the BTX-A group (61.29% versus 38.71%; P = 0.03).

CONCLUSION:

Patients with HFS are often accompanied by somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, and phobia. Our findings suggest that BTX-A can improve these symptoms. However, further well-designed prospective studies are warranted to validate our findings.

• Authors: Chengyun Wang, Xiangyu Zhu, Lei Xia, Peng Xie, Xiangyang Tian, Jin Shang, Qiu Han
• Journal: Acta neurologica Belgica (Acta Neurol Belg) Vol. 122 Issue 1 Pg. 43-49 (Feb 2022) ISSN: 2240-2993 [Electronic] Italy
• PMID: 33515182 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2021. Belgian Neurological Society.

Chemical References

• Neuromuscular Agents
• Botulinum Toxins, Type A

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Botulinum Toxins, Type A (therapeutic use)
• Case-Control Studies
• Female
• Hemifacial Spasm (drug therapy)
• Humans
• Male
• Mental Health
• Middle Aged
• Neuromuscular Agents (therapeutic use)
• Psychological Distress
• Quality of Life