Factors Predicting Improvement in Motor Disability in Writer's Cramp Treated with Botulinum Toxin

Overview

Journal J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry

Publisher BMJ Publishing Group

Specialties Neurology
Neurosurgery
Psychiatry

Date 2004 Nov 19

PMID 15548483

Citations 12

Authors

R Djebbari

S T du Montcel

S Sangla

J S Vidal

G Gallouedec

M Vidailhet

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: To identify factors predicting improvement in motor disability in writer's cramp treated with botulinum toxin (BTX).

Methods: 47 patients with writer's cramp were treated with BTX and were evaluated by the same neurologists at initial referral, after each BTX injection, and when the effect of BTX was maximal at the time of the study. Patients and examiners simultaneously and independently rated the efficacy of BTX injections. Self assessment was a global clinical impression of the impact of treatment on writing quality, writing speed, writing errors, and legibility of handwriting; for objective assessment, the examiners used the Burke-Fahn-Marsden (BFM) scale.

Results: On the BFM scale, there was a significant improvement (p<0.0001) in both severity and disability scores. Patients with a pronation/flexion pattern of dystonia showed the best and the most sustained improvement. Primary writing tremor was little improved. There was a correlation between the self assessment score and the Burke-Fahn-Marsden score. Benefit was maintained over time

Conclusions: These results have implications for the identification of patients most likely to benefit from BTX injections.

Citing Articles

Treatment of focal hand dystonia: current status.

Gupta N, Pandey S Neurol Sci. 2021; 42(9):3561-3584.

PMID: 34213695 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-021-05432-7.

Baseline Features Influencing the Effectiveness of Retraining Therapy for Writer's Cramp.

Bleton J, Touze E, Soulez-la-Riviere L, Baizabal-Carvallo J, Guignier F, Cambriel C Mov Disord Clin Pract. 2018; 2(3):232-236.

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Predicting Improvement in Writer's Cramp Symptoms following Botulinum Neurotoxin Injection Therapy.

Jackman M, Delrobaei M, Rahimi F, Atashzar S, Shahbazi M, Patel R Tremor Other Hyperkinet Mov (N Y). 2016; 6:410.

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Botulinum Toxin in Pediatric Neurology: Switching Lanes From Death to Life.

Moawad E, Abdallah E Glob Pediatr Health. 2016; 2:2333794X15590149.

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Kinematic and kinetic assessment of upper limb movements in patients with writer's cramp.

Delrobaei M, Rahimi F, Jackman M, Atashzar S, Shahbazi M, Patel R J Neuroeng Rehabil. 2016; 13:15.

PMID: 26891751 PMC: 4759959. DOI: 10.1186/s12984-016-0122-0.

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