Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale Research Articles

Prevalence of Myofascial Trigger Points in Isolated Idiopathic Cervical Dystonia: A Possible Contributor to Pain, Movement and Disability.

Myofascial trigger points (TrPs) are hypersensitive points located in a tight band of muscle that, when palpated, produce not only local pain but also referred (distant) pain. The role of TrPs in patients with cervical dystonia (CD) has not been investigated. To identify the presence of TrPs in patients with isolated idiopathic CD and their association with pain. Thirty-one patients (74.2% women; age: 61.2 years, SD: 10.1 years) participated. TrPs were explored in the sternocleidomastoid, upper trapezius, splenius capitis, levator scapulae, anterior scalene, suboccipital, and infraspinatus muscles. Clinical features of CD were documented as well as the presence of pain. The severity of dystonia and its consequences were assessed using the Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS). The mean number of TrPs for each patient was 12 (SD:3), with no differences between patients with pain (n = 20) and those without pain (n = 11). Active TrPs were only found in patients with pain (mean: 7.5, SD:4). Latent TrPs were found in both groups but were more prevalent (P < 0.001) in patients without pain (mean: 11, SD:3.5) than in those with pain (mean: 5, SD:3.5). The number of active TrPs or latent TrPs was positively associated with the TWSTRS disability subscale and the TWSTRS total score. The number of active, but not latent, TrPs was associated with worse scores on the TWSTRS pain subscale. Active TrPs were present in patients with CD reporting pain, while latent TrPs were present in all CD patients, irrespective of their pain status. The numbers of active/latent TrPs were associated with disability. TrPs could act as pain generators in CD and also contribute to the involuntary muscle contractions characteristic of dystonia.

Combination of anodal tDCS of the cerebellum with a goal-oriented motor training to treat cervical dystonia: a pilot case series.

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) of the cerebellum shows promise for the treatment of dystonia. Specific motor rehabilitation programs have also been developed in this context. However, the combination of these two approaches has not yet been evaluated to determine their therapeutic potential. We report a series of 5 patients with cervical dystonia (CD) poorly controlled by botulinum toxin injections. They were initially treated by a protocol of repeated daily sessions (for 3 or 5 days) of cerebellar anodal tDCS (cer-atDCS) applied alone. In a second time, additional protocols of cer-atDCS were performed in combination with a program of goal-oriented motor training exercises (Mot-Training), specifically developed for the treatment of CD. The clinical impact of the procedures was assessed on the Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS). Compared to baseline, the maximum percentage of TWSTRS total score improvement was 37% on average after cer-atDCS performed alone (p = 0.147, not significant) and 53% on average after cer-atDCS combined with Mot-Training (p = 0.014, significant). The TWSTRS pain and functional handicap subscores also improved after the combined protocol. A score of (+3) to (+5) was rated on the TWSTRS response scale after cer-atDCS performed alone or the combined protocol, corresponding to a moderate to striking improvement on dystonia and pain. This improvement lasted longer after the combined protocol than after cer-atDCS alone (3.4 vs. 1.4 months on average, p = 0.011). The combination of cer-atDCS with Mot-Training produced a greater and more prolonged improvement than the application of cer-atDCS alone. Such a combined therapeutic procedure is easy to perform and opens important perspectives in the long-term treatment of CD. These results remain to be confirmed by a randomized sham-controlled trial on a larger sample.

Sensitization-Associated Symptoms and Neuropathic-like Features in Patients with Cervical Dystonia and Pain.

Background: This exploratory study evaluated the presence of sensitization-associated and neuropathic-like symptoms and identified their association with pressure sensitivity, pain, and disability in patients with cervical dystonia (CD). Methods: Thirty-one patients with CD (74.2% women, age: 61.2 years, SD 10.1) participated. Data collected included clinical variables, the Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS), the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI), the Self-administered Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (S-LANSS), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), as well as widespread pressure pain thresholds (PPTs). Results: Patients with CD with pain (n = 20, 64.5%) showed higher scores on the TWSTRS disability subscale and the CSI (p < 0.001), and lower PPTs (p < 0.05). Fifteen patients (15/31, 48%) showed sensitization-associated symptoms (CSI ≥ 40), whereas five of the patients with pain (5/20, 25%) exhibited neuropathic-like symptoms (S-LANSS ≥ 12). The CSI and S-LANSS were positively associated with the TWSTRS, HADS-A and HADS-D, and negatively associated with PPTs. HADS-D and S-LANSS explained 72.5% of the variance of the CSI (r2: 0.725), whereas CSI explained 42.3% of the variance of the S-LANSS (r2: 0.423). Conclusions: Pain is an important source of disability in CD, and may be a consequence of different mechanisms, including sensitization.

Bridging the gap between statistical significance and clinical relevance: A systematic review of minimum clinically important difference (MCID) thresholds of scales reported in movement disorders research

BackgroundMinimum clinically important difference (MCID) is the smallest change in an outcome measure that is considered clinically meaningful. Using validated MCID thresholds for outcomes powers trials adequately to detect meaningful treatment effects, aids in their interpretation and guides development of new outcome measures. ObjectivesTo provide a comprehensive summary of MCID thresholds of various symptom severity scales reported in movement disorder. MethodsWe conducted systematic review of the literature and included studies of one or more movement disorders, and reporting MCID scales. Results2763 reports were screened. Final review included 32 studies. Risk of bias (RoB) assessment showed most studies were of good quality. Most commonly evaluated scale was Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) (11 out of 32). Four studies assessing MDS-UPDRS had assessed its different sub-parts, reporting a change of 2.64,3.05,3.25 and 0.9 points to detect clinically meaningful improvement and 2.45,2.51,4.63 and 0.8 points to detect clinically meaningful worsening, for the Part I, II, III and IV, respectively. For Parts II + III, I + II + III and I + II + III + IV, MCID thresholds reported for clinically meaningful improvement were 5.73, 4.9, 6.7 and 7.1 points respectively; while those for clinically meaningful worsening were 4.7, 4.2, 5.2 and 6.3 points, respectively. MCID thresholds reported for other scales included Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS), Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSRS), and Burke-Fahn-Marsden Dystonia Scale (BFMD). ConclusionThis review summarizes all the MCID thresholds currently reported in Movement disorders research and provides a comprehensive resource for future trials, highlighting the need for standardized and validated MCID scales in movement disorder research.

MRI-Guided Focused Ultrasound in Cervical Dystonia

Introduction. MRI-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) is approved for management of various movement disorders, primarily essential tremor and Parkinson’s disease (PD), with favorable long-term outcomes in numerous patients worldwide. However, few case studies describe the use of this modality for symptomatic treatment of dystonias that, as the third most common movement disorder, may be rather disabling.&#x0D; Objective: To improve outcomes in patients with cervical dystonia (CD) using MRgFUS.&#x0D; Materials and methods. We retrospectively analyzed 13 cases of various CD types managed with MRgFUS in single or multiple sessions. The mean age of the patients was 42 [39; 53] years. The Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS) was used to assess patients' statuses and severity of CD symptoms during therapy and the last available observation period. The targets included the pallidothalamic tract and the thalamic ventral oralis complex nucleus or their combination.&#x0D; Results. The mean follow-up period was 13.3 ± 3.4 months (July 2021 to April 2023). The mean CD severity sum score (TWSTRS score) was 22 [16; 25] before MRgFUS and 6 [4; 9] in the last observation. Therefore, we report 70.6% [55.6; 76.5] improvement (paired samples t-test p = 0.0025).&#x0D; Conclusion. Available data evidence that MRgFUS is efficient and sufficiently safe for symptomatic treatment in pharmacoresistant CD patients. A number of vital aspects of MRgFUS have to be specified in larger CD cohorts in the long-term follow-up.

An analysis of the efficacy of botulinum neurotoxin type a in treating cervical dystonia.

The first-line treatment for cervical dystonia (CD) consists of repeated intramuscular injections of botulinum toxin (BoNT). However, the efficacy in some patients may be unsatisfactory and they may discontinue treatment. To examine the factors associated with the maximum rate of remission in patients with CD after initial botulinum neurotoxin type A (or botulinum toxin type A abbreviated as BTX-A or BoNT-A) treatment. Patients with CD who received BoNT-A injections were evaluated using the Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS) and the Tsui scale, with follow-up endpoints lasting until the start of the second injection. Patients who did not receive a second injection of BoNT-A were followed up for at least 5 months. The maximum remission rates were determined using the lowest Tsui and TWSTRS total scores during the follow-up period. We obtained basic information about these patients such as age, gender, duration of disease, presence of additional disease, types of torticollis, presence of anxiety, depression, tremors, single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) findings, injected dose, and so on from their medical records. A total of 70 patients with CD participated in this study, with males comprising 35.7% (25 individuals) with an average age of 45 ± 14 years old. The duration of disease was an independent risk factor for determining whether a complete remission has been attained using the Tsui scale (odds ratio [OR] = 0.978, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.959-0.997, P= 0.026). The optimal cut-off point for predicting patients who were unable to achieve complete remission based on duration of disease was 7.5 months (AUG = 0.711). Patients with CD with additional disease had greater difficulty achieving complete remission than those with CD alone based on TWSTRS assessments (P= 0.049). During the study, approximately 17% of all participants reported experiencing adverse reactions that lasted between 1 to 3 weeks before disappearing. BoNT is an effective and safe method for treating CD. The maximum remission rates of patients after their first injections are influenced by the duration of their disease. Thus, treatment using BoNT injections must be administered as soon as possible.

An Empirical Comparison of Commonly Used Universal Rating Scales for Dystonia.

There are several widely used clinical rating scales for documenting the severity and distribution of various types of dystonia. The goal of this study was to evaluate the performance of the most commonly used scales in a large group of adults with the most common types of isolated dystonia. Global Dystonia Rating Scale (GDRS) and the Burke-Fahn-Marsden Dystonia Rating Scale (BFM) scores were obtained for 3067 participants. Most had focal or segmental dystonia, with smaller numbers of multifocal or generalized dystonia. These scales were also compared for 209 adults with cervical dystonia that had Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS) scores and 210 adults with blepharospasm that had Blepharospasm Severity Scale (BSRS) scores. There were strong correlations between the GDRS and BFM total scores (r = 0.79) and moderate correlations for their sub scores (r > 0.5). Scores for both scales showed positive skew, with an overabundance of low scores. BFM sub-scores were not normally distributed, due to artifacts caused by the provoking factor. Relevant sub-scores of the GDRS and BFM also showed moderate correlations with the TWSTRS (r > 0.5) for cervical dystonia and the BSRS (r > 0.5) for blepharospasm. The BFM is more widely used than the GDRS, but these results suggest the GDRS may be preferable for focal and segmental dystonias. The overabundance of very low scores for both scales highlights challenges associated with discriminating very mild dystonia from other abnormal movements or variants of normal behavior.

PAllidal versus SubThalamic deep brain Stimulation for Cervical Dystonia (PASTS-CD): study protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial

IntroductionDeep brain stimulation (DBS) has been validated as a safe and effective treatment for refractory cervical dystonia (CD). Globus pallidus internus (GPi) and subthalamic nucleus (STN) are the two main...

GPi-DBS-induced brain metabolic activation in cervical dystonia

BackgroundDeep brain stimulation (DBS) of the globus pallidus interna (GPi) is a highly efficacious treatment for cervical dystonia, but its mechanism of action is not fully understood. Here, we investigate...

Therapeutic Benefit of Sensory Trick in Cervical Dystonia.

Sensory tricks (STs) are voluntary maneuvers that dampen the abnormal movement in cervical dystonia (CD). To investigate the effect of ST on CD severity and treatment. Data on 1039 individuals with a modified Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS) score were extracted from the CD Patient Registry for Observation of OnabotulinumtoxinA (onabotA) Efficacy study. Univariate and multivariate models evaluated the direct and indirect impact of ST on CD severity and treatment, while controlling for confounds. Complete ST was associated with a 10% lower mean onabotA dose. Absence of complete ST was associated with a higher onabotA dose after controlling for dystonia severity (OR = 1.37, P = 0.04). ST moderated the relationship between dystonia severity and toxin dose (β = -0.16, P = 0.02). ST is related to lower CD severity and toxin dose. It may have a direct effect on lowering toxin dose, independent of CD severity.

The effect of botulinum toxin on anxiety in cervical dystonia: A prospective, observational study

IntroductionAnxiety is present in 30–40% of patients with cervical dystonia (CD). It has been ascribed to a direct effect of the state of motor symptoms on related pain, disability, and disfigurement. Accordingly, any reported benefit of botulinum toxin (BoNT) on anxiety is thought to be secondary to its effect on the same. We sought to evaluate the distinctive impact of botulinum toxin (BoNT) on anxiety in cervical dystonia (CD). MethodsIn this prospective observational study, 60 participants with idiopathic isolated CD were recruited from clinic. We assessed motor and anxiety burden using Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS) parts I-III and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Assessments were done at time of BoNT (baseline) and at 6 weeks post-injection. ResultsSTAI and motor severity TWSTRS scores poorly correlated at the baseline visit (rho = −0.30, p = 0.411). Both, motor TWSTRS (Mdifference = −1.46, p < 0.024) and STAI (Mdifference = −10.37, p = 0.007) improved from baseline to 6 weeks (peak effect). The change in motor TWSTRS poorly correlated with change in anxiety scores from baseline visit to 6 weeks (rho = −0.14, p > 0.999). Of these measures of anxiety, improvement in STAI-T had the largest effect size (rank biserial = 0.52). ConclusionBoNT improves both motor severity and anxiety in CD. Poor correlation between motor severity and anxiety at both the time of injection and during the time of peak effect, and improvement in trait anxiety suggests that BoNT has a direct beneficial effect on anxiety.

Cervical Dystonia in a Headache Population: General Medical Education (GME) Training to Standardize Screening (P11-12.005)

<h3>Objective:</h3> To highlight the importance of GME training on screening for cervical dystonia in patients presenting for headaches or cervicalgia. <h3>Background:</h3> Cervical dystonia (CD) is a condition of involuntary overactivation of the cervical musculature resulting in abnormal head posture. Notably, comorbid headache in CD is present in up to 75% of patients. Although the prevalence of CD is reported to be quite low, underdiagnosis or misdiagnosis is common. This is likely due to the challenging physical diagnosis often requiring a movement disorder specialist, and the lack of focused training in neurology residency programs. Although CD can improve with Botulinum toxin (BT), greater than 50% of patients remain untreated. <h3>Design/Methods:</h3> From 2017–2020, an IRB-reviewed Quality Improvement Project was initiated by a Movement Disorder Neurologist in a GME-Residency program. Chart review was performed on all patients presenting for headache, migraine, or cervicalgia, and the Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS) was performed to assess for comorbid cervical dystonia. <h3>Results:</h3> During this timeframe, 6455 patients presented for headache, migraine, cervical dystonia, or cervicalgia. 306 patients were diagnosed with both cervicalgia and headache. Of those patients, 5% were ultimately diagnosed with cervical dystonia. All diagnoses of cervical dystonia were made by a Movement Disorder Neurologist or resident trained in this screening approach. All patients diagnosed with cervical dystonia had chronic headaches, and most had daily headaches. Of patients diagnosed with cervical dystonia, 86% were started on treatment with BT, with a 91% success rate. <h3>Conclusions:</h3> Patients with cervical dystonia commonly present to Neurology for headache or migraine, as comorbid pain is frequent. Underdiagnosis of dystonia may lead to suboptimal treatment choices. Formalized training of residents to use TWSTRS on patients with headache and cervicalgia may enhance diagnosis and improve treatment outcomes. <b>Disclosure:</b> Dr. Inoue has nothing to disclose. Dr. Dalton has nothing to disclose. Dr. Hack has nothing to disclose. Dr. Baker has nothing to disclose.

Characteristics and Treatment Response to OnabotulinumtoxinA of Patients From CD-PROBE With Anterocollis and Retrocollis (P12-11.005)

<h3>Objective:</h3> To describes baseline characteristics and treatment response of these cervical dystonia (CD) subtypes. <h3>Background:</h3> CD-PROBE included patients with anterocollis (AC) and retrocollis (RC) treated with onabotulinumtoxinA (onabotA). <h3>Design/Methods:</h3> CD PROBE was an observational, prospective study designed to identify real-world outcomes in patients with CD after onabotA treatment; patients from 82 US sites with CD diagnosis who were candidates for onabotA therapy, new to treatment, or not previously treated in a clinical trial in ≥16 weeks, and completed 3 onabotA treatments. Treatment benefit was measured using the Patient’s Global Impression of Change (PGI-C), Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS), Cervical Dystonia Impact Profile (CDIP-58), Clinician’s Global Impression of Change (CGI-C), and physician assessments of CD severity. <h3>Results:</h3> Patients with AC (n=59) and RC (n=55) were older and more disabled, with a shorter time to diagnosis and treatment, than patients with laterocollis (LC) or torticollis (TC). From PGI-C responses, 58.4% of RC vs 47.8% of AC patients reported being much/very much improved by onabotA post-injection 3 (final visit). CGI-C responses similarly improved over this timeframe; 82.6% of RC and 60.9% of AC patients reporting much/very much improved. The mean total TWSTRS score decreased for AC and RC patients from injection 1 (46 [AC]; 40 [RC]) to final visit (36 [AC]; 32 [RC]); CDIP-58 scores also decreased over time. The proportion of patients with physician-assessed severe CD decreased from injection 1 (28.8% [AC]; 21.8% [RC]) to final visit (21.7% [AC]; 4.3% [RC]); most patients shifted to lower symptom severity. OnabotA dose generally increased per visit, with AC patients having lowest doses (153.5–195.4U) and RC patients the highest (184.0–213.4U). Adverse event of dysphagia reported in 4 AC and 7 RC patients. No new safety signals were identified. <h3>Conclusions:</h3> CD PROBE data indicates real-world treatment with onabotA relieves CD symptoms in patients with anterocollis and retrocollis. <b>Disclosure:</b> Dr. Dashtipour has received personal compensation in the range of $100,000-$499,999 for serving as a Consultant for Amneal, Abbvie, Acorda, Acadia, Ipsen, Supernus, Sunovion, Neurocrine, Teva. Dr. Dashtipour has received personal compensation in the range of $100,000-$499,999 for serving on a Scientific Advisory or Data Safety Monitoring board for Amneal, Abbvie, Acadia, Supernus. Dr. Dashtipour has received personal compensation in the range of $100,000-$499,999 for serving on a Speakers Bureau for Amneal, Acorda, Abbvie, Ipsen, Teva, Neurocrine, SupernusPD, sunovion . Dr. Jankovic has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for Revance. Dr. Jankovic has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving on a Scientific Advisory or Data Safety Monitoring board for Revance, Allergan. The institution of Dr. Jankovic has received research support from Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Jankovic has received research support from Abbvie. The institution of Dr. Jankovic has received research support from Abbvie. Dr. Charles has received personal compensation in the range of $10,000-$49,999 for serving as a Consultant for Supernus. Dr. Charles has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for Revance. Dr. Charles has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for Merz. Dr. Charles has received personal compensation in the range of $5,000-$9,999 for serving as a Consultant for Newronika. Dr. Charles has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for Ipsen. Dr. Charles has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for Iota. Dr. Charles has received personal compensation in the range of $5,000-$9,999 for serving as a Consultant for Abbott. Dr. Charles has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for AbbVie. Dr. Charles has stock in Arena Therapeutics. The institution of Dr. Charles has received research support from Pharma 2 B. The institution of Dr. Charles has received research support from Intec. The institution of Dr. Charles has received research support from Merz. The institution of Dr. Charles has received research support from Novartis. The institution of Dr. Charles has received research support from Aeon. The institution of Dr. Charles has received research support from Impax. Dr. Mehta has received personal compensation in the range of $5,000-$9,999 for serving as a Consultant for Adamas Pharma. Dr. Mehta has received personal compensation in the range of $5,000-$9,999 for serving as a Consultant for Abbott. Dr. Mehta has received personal compensation in the range of $10,000-$49,999 for serving as a Consultant for CNS Ratings. Marc Schwartz has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sadeghi has received personal compensation for serving as an employee of AbbVie. Dr. Sadeghi has stock in Abbvie/Abbott.

Efficacy and Safety of DaxibotulinumtoxinA for Injection Over Successive Treatments in Adults With Cervical Dystonia in the Phase 3 ASPEN-1 and ASPEN-OLS Trials (P11-11.006)

Efficacy and Safety of DaxibotulinumtoxinA for Injection Over Successive Treatments in Adults With Cervical Dystonia in the Phase 3 ASPEN-1 and ASPEN-OLS Trials (P11-11.006)

Management of cervical dystonia through Ayurveda - A case report

Abstract Spasmodic torticollis is a rare condition characterized by involuntary movement of the head. The pain often becomes the primary reason for the patient to seek medical attention, with the patient almost indifferent to the dystonic movements. Prakupita Vata (aggravated Vata) causes various kinds of diseases of Vata called Vata Vyadhi (diseases of vitiated Vata) and treatments such as Snehana (oleation therapy), Swedana (sudation therapy), and Shodhana (internal detoxification) are advised. The patient complaining of pain, stiffness of the neck, and tremors gradually progressing to hyperextension of the neck was clinically diagnosed as Dhatu Kshaya Vata Vikara and treated on the lines of Vata Vyadhi (diseases of vitiated Vata). Shodhana (internal detoxification) such as Nasya and Basti, in combination with external Panchakarma procedures and internal medicines including Rasayana (rejuvenation), were administered. Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS) was assessed for the outcome of the treatment. The patient showed good improvement in pain, stiffness, tremors, and neck retention time. TWSTRS score had reduced from 66.25 to 29 and is presented here as a case study.

Conversion to AbobotulinumtoxinA Increases Waning Time and Efficacy for Cervical Dystonia.

Symptom re-emergence before re-injection negatively impacts cervical dystonia (CD) patients receiving botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) therapy. Longer waning time is associated with abobotulinumtoxinA (abo-BoNT-A) as compared to onabotulinumtoxinA (ona-BoNT-A)/incobotulinumtoxinA (inco-BoNT-A) formulations. To compare waning time and treatment outcomes when chronically injected CD patients experiencing early waning despite being optimized on BoNT-A (ona-BoNT-A/inco-BoNT-A) were converted to abo-BoNT-A. Thirty-three chronically injected CD participants with a waning time of ≤8 weeks were converted to abo-BoNT-A (1:2.5 dose ratio) for three injections every 12-weeks. The second and third injection patterns were kinematically optimized. Participants were converted back to their original BoNT-A for the fourth injection (1:2.5) using the same third abo-BoNT-A pattern. Participant-perceived waning times were collected post-injections. Clinical scales (Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS)) and kinematic measures were collected 12-weeks post-injection and at three peak effect time-points. Compared to baseline, waning time (12-22 days) significantly increased following all abo-BoNT-A treatments (P < 0.005) but was not significantly different at the fourth injection (original BoNT-A reconversion). TWSTRS sub-scores significantly reduced following all abo-BoNT-A treatments (P < 0.0001) and at peak effect following the third injection compared to original BoNT-A. Dysphagia and muscle weakness were reported and comparable to safety of original BoNT-A formulations. Optimized patients experiencing waning had significant improvement in the peak benefit as well as the duration of effect when converted to abo-BoNT-A. This effect was toxin dependent as reconversion to the original BoNT-A using the kinematically optimized pattern failed to produce an improvement in waning.

Does Ultrasound Guidance Improve the Effectiveness of Neurotoxin Injections in Patients with Cervical Dystonia? (A Prospective, Partially-Blinded, Clinical Study).

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of ultrasound guidance (US) in the treatment of cervical dystonia (CD) with botulinum neurotoxin type A (BoNT-A) injections in comparison to anatomical landmarks (AL). To date, US is routinely used in many centers, but others deny its usefulness. Materials and Methods: Thirty-five patients (12 males, 23 females) with a clinical diagnosis of CD were included in the study. Intramuscular administration of BoNT-A was performed using either US guidance, or with AL, in two separate therapeutic sessions. The efficacy of BoNT-A administration was assessed with the Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS), Tsui modified scale, Craniocervical Dystonia Questionnaire (CDQ-24) and Clinical Global Impression—Improvement scale (CGI-I). Additionally, patients at therapeutic sessions were digitally recorded and evaluated by two blinded and independent raters. Results: A significant decrease in total TWSTRS, severity subscale TWSTRS, Tsui score, and CDQ-24 was found in both the AL and US group; however, in the TWSTRS disability and pain subscales, a significant decrease was found only in the US group. Moreover, US guided treatment also resulted in a greater decrease in TWSTRS, Tsui score and CDQ-24 compared to anatomical landmarks use only. Conclusions: US guidance might be helpful in improving the results of BoNT-A injections in cervical dystonia, reducing associated pain and disability; however, more studies are needed to evaluate its clinical efficacy.

Cognitive impairment in Chinese patients with cervical dystonia.

ObjectiveCognitive impairment (CI) in patients with cervical dystonia (CD) has been reported in many studies but with inconsistent findings. We investigated the prevalence, characteristics, and clinical factors related to CI in Chinese patients with CD.MethodsSixty-eight patients with CD and 68 healthy controls (HCs) were included in the study. Demographic and clinical data were investigated. A logistic regression analysis was conducted to discriminate the clinical factors associated with CI in patients with CD. A cluster analysis was performed to explore the different characteristics within the group of CD patients with CI.ResultsWe found that 42 (61.76%) patients with CD had CI. The most frequent CI domain was visuospatial function (39.71%), followed by memory (38.24%), attention/working memory (29.41%), language (25.00%), and executive function (23.53%). CD patients with CI were older, less educated, had an older age of onset, more severe motor symptoms and disability, and experienced more pain than CD patients without CI. The presence of CI in patients with CD was associated with less education (OR = 0.802, p = 0.034) and a higher Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS) severity subscore (OR = 1.305, p = 0.001). The cluster analysis identified two different subgroups of patients, one with relatively mild cognitive impairment and the other with relatively severe cognitive impairment.ConclusionCI is relatively common in Chinese patients with CD, with the most common CI domain of the visuospatial function. In the present study, CI in patients with CD was associated with less education and more severe motor symptoms, and patients with CI may be further divided into two subgroups based on different extent and domain of cognitive decline.

Therapeutic Efficacy and Prediction of 18F-FDG PET/CT-Assisted Botulinum Toxin Therapy in Patients With Idiopathic Cervical Dystonia.

This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of 18F-FDG PET/CT-assisted botulinum toxin (BTX) injection therapy and predictive PET findings in relation to a good response in patients with idiopathic cervical dystonia (ICD). A total of 78 patients was enrolled from November 2007 to July 2018. The Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS) score was determined at baseline and 4 weeks after BTX injection guided by electromyography and PET/CT. The number of hypermetabolic muscles, the highest SUVmax among hypermetabolic muscles, and the total SUVmax of hypermetabolic muscles were evaluated as pretreatment PET parameters. A good response was defined as a reduction rate ≥30% and a point decrease ≥15 of the TWSTRS total score. Half of the subjects showed a good response. Good responders had significantly higher baseline TWSTRS scores than poor responders (total score, P < 0.001; severity, P < 0.001; disability, P < 0.001; pain, P = 0.026). Good responders also had significantly higher numbers of hypermetabolic muscles and BTX-injected hypermetabolic muscles (P < 0.001, both). In multivariable analysis, the baseline TWSTRS disability subscale score and the number of BTX-injected hypermetabolic muscles were significant predictors for good response (P = 0.001 and P = 0.028). The aforementioned 3 PET parameters were positively correlated with the baseline TWSTRS scores. In addition, PET/CT well detected dystonic deep cervical muscles. FDG PET/CT-assisted BTX injection therapy showed good therapeutic efficacy in ICD patients. The numbers of hypermetabolic cervical muscles and BTX-injected hypermetabolic muscles may be helpful in predicting a good response.

The Long-Term Efficacy, Prognostic Factors, Safety, and Hospitalization Costs Following Denervation and Myotomy of the Affected Muscles and Deep Brain Stimulation in 94 Patients with Spasmodic Torticollis.

The surgical methods for treating spasmodic torticollis include the denervation and myotomy (DAM) of the affected muscles and deep brain stimulation (DBS). This study reports on the long-term efficacy, prognostic factors, safety, and hospitalization costs following these two procedures. We collected data from 94 patients with spasmodic torticollis, of whom 41 and 53 were treated with DAM and DBS, respectively, from June 2008 to December 2020 at the Chinese People’s Liberation Army General Hospital. We used the Tsui scale and the global outcome score of the Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS) to evaluate the preoperative and postoperative clinical conditions in all patients. We also determined the costs of hospitalization, prognostic factors, and serious adverse events following the two surgical procedures. The mean follow-up time was 68.83 months (range = 13–116). Both resection surgery and DBS showed good results in terms of Tsui (Z = −5.103, p = 0.000; Z = −6.210, p = 0.000) and TWSTRS scores (t = 8.762, p = 0.000; Z = −6.308, p = 0.000). Compared with the DAM group, the preoperative (47.71, range 24–67.25) and postoperative (18.57, range 0–53) TWSTRS scores in the DBS group were significantly higher (Z = −3.161, p = 0.002). We found no correlation between prognostic factors and patient age, gender, or disease duration for either surgical procedure. However, prognostic factors were related to the length of the postoperative follow-up period in the DBS surgery group (Z = −2.068, p = 0.039; Z = −3.287, p = 0.001). The mean hospitalization cost in the DBS group was 6.85 times that found in the resection group (Z = −8.284, p = 0.000). The total complication rate was 4.26%. We found both resection surgery and DBS showed good results in the patients with spasmodic torticollis. Compared with DAM, DBS had a greater improvement in TWSTRS score; however, it was more expensive. Prognostic factors were related to the length of the postoperative follow-up period in patients who underwent DBS surgery.