Comparison of clinical characteristics of patients with adductor laryngeal dystonia in the focal and segmental types

Abstract

Dystonia is a central motor processing neurological disorder characterized by abnormal, often action-induced, involuntary movements or uncontrolled spasms. Aim To compare patients with the diagnoses of focal and segmental adductor laryngeal dystonia at the Neurolarynx Outpatient Clinic of the Federal University of São Paulo. Materials and methods A clinical retrospective study of data collected from patient registries from 2003 to 2009. Results Of 34 patients, 25 presented focal dystonia and 9 presented segmental dystonia. There were 30 females (88.2%) and 4 males (11.8%). A relation with a traumatic event was reported in 11 cases (32.4%). Vocal tremor was observed in 21 patients (61.8%). The mean age at onset, the age at diagnosis, and time between the onset and the diagnosis were respectively 55, 61.3 and 6.3 years. There was no statistical difference between patients with focal laryngeal adductor dystonia and segmental dystonia in the study data. Conclusion There were no statistical differences among patients with focal adductor laryngeal dystonia and segmental dystonia relating to age of onset, age of diagnosis, gender, time between onset and diagnosis, presence of associated tremor, and relation to trauma.

Estudo da deglutição em pacientes com distonia laríngea antes e após o tratamento com toxina botulínica

“…A distonia pode começar em qualquer idade. Nos quadros de distonia segmentar o pico do inicio encontra-se entre 45 e 60 anos, e nas distonias focais em torno dos 45 anos, sendo que os quadros de distonias focais laríngeas apresentam pico de início entre 35 e 50 anos (KORN et al, 2011).…”