Blepharospasm: a review of 264 patients.

Abstract

Accepted 5 January 1988 in the information, the patient was contacted or seen again in the clinic to obtain the missing data.The mean age of onset was 55 8 (SD 12 5) years (range 11-81). There were 170 females (644%) and 94 males (35-6%). The female/male ratio was 1-8:1. Antecedent eventsThere was a psychiatric illness before or at onset of blepharospasm in 47 cases (17-8%). Twenty nine patients (11%) were depressed; two had a bipolar manic-depressive illness; 10 (3 8%) suffered an anxiety state; four were schizophrenic; two had a single unspecified psychotic episode. Fourteen of these cases (5-3% of the total series) were exposed to neuroleptics before the onset of their blepharospasm, so may have been examples of tardive dystonia. Thus, only 33 patients (13-2%) with non-tardive blepharospasm had a prior history of psychiatric disorder.Thirty two cases (12-1 %) had experienced local ocular disease in the year before the onset of their blepharospasm. In addition, a larger number of patients (55-3%) complained of ocular symptoms prior to or at the onset of their blepharospasm (table 1). However, only 13 patients (4 9%) developed new eye problems later during the course of their blepharospasm. The commonest complaints were of irritation, watering or grittiness of the eyes. Pain occurred in only 2 cases. Family historyA history of movement disorders in other first or second degree family members was given by 52 cases (19 7%). Relatives, either affected or unaffected, were not examined in this study (indeed many of them were already deceased).

Relationship between eye symptoms and blepharospasm: A multicenter case–control study

“…In our population, 35.7% of patients reported ophthalmological symptoms at BSP onset, similar to the lower limit of the range of frequency of ocular symptoms reported by other series (40–60%) 5–7. In accordance with other reports,5, 6 ocular symptoms disappeared in a percentage of patients and developed in some previously unaffected BSP patients after BSP onset.…”

Relationship between eye symptoms and blepharospasm: A multicenter case–control study

“…In our population, 35.7% of patients reported ophthalmological symptoms at BSP onset, similar to the lower limit of the range of frequency of ocular symptoms reported by other series (40–60%) 5–7. In accordance with other reports,5, 6 ocular symptoms disappeared in a percentage of patients and developed in some previously unaffected BSP patients after BSP onset.…”

Botulinum A toxin injection in patients with blepharospasm, torticollis and hemifacial spasm

“…In blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm, our results are similar to those of other authors [2,3,4,8,9,14,15,17] who reported benefit in 70-100% of patients. In blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm, our results are similar to those of other authors [2,3,4,8,9,14,15,17] who reported benefit in 70-100% of patients.…”

Prevalence study of primary dystonia in Iceland

“…Consistent with other studies,3, 5–15, 22–25 there was a marked female preponderance in the whole cohort and females outnumbered males in all subtypes except for oromandibular dystonia. Limb dystonias also appeared to have a female preponderance in Iceland, a finding consistent with the findings from Oslo and Segovia8, 15 but opposite to what has been generally reported 3, 7, 9, 11, 14, 22–24…”

Relationship between eye symptoms and blepharospasm: A multicenter case–control study

“…In our population, 35.7% of patients reported ophthalmological symptoms at BSP onset, similar to the lower limit of the range of frequency of ocular symptoms reported by other series (40–60%) 5–7. In accordance with other reports,5, 6 ocular symptoms disappeared in a percentage of patients and developed in some previously unaffected BSP patients after BSP onset.…”

Botulinum A toxin injection in patients with blepharospasm, torticollis and hemifacial spasm

“…In blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm, our results are similar to those of other authors [2,3,4,8,9,14,15,17] who reported benefit in 70-100% of patients. In blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm, our results are similar to those of other authors [2,3,4,8,9,14,15,17] who reported benefit in 70-100% of patients.…”

Prevalence study of primary dystonia in Iceland

“…Consistent with other studies,3, 5–15, 22–25 there was a marked female preponderance in the whole cohort and females outnumbered males in all subtypes except for oromandibular dystonia. Limb dystonias also appeared to have a female preponderance in Iceland, a finding consistent with the findings from Oslo and Segovia8, 15 but opposite to what has been generally reported 3, 7, 9, 11, 14, 22–24…”

Relationship between eye symptoms and blepharospasm: A multicenter case–control study

“…In our population, 35.7% of patients reported ophthalmological symptoms at BSP onset, similar to the lower limit of the range of frequency of ocular symptoms reported by other series (40–60%) 5–7. In accordance with other reports,5, 6 ocular symptoms disappeared in a percentage of patients and developed in some previously unaffected BSP patients after BSP onset.…”

Botulinum A toxin injection in patients with blepharospasm, torticollis and hemifacial spasm

“…In blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm, our results are similar to those of other authors [2,3,4,8,9,14,15,17] who reported benefit in 70-100% of patients. In blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm, our results are similar to those of other authors [2,3,4,8,9,14,15,17] who reported benefit in 70-100% of patients.…”

Prevalence study of primary dystonia in Iceland

“…Consistent with other studies,3, 5–15, 22–25 there was a marked female preponderance in the whole cohort and females outnumbered males in all subtypes except for oromandibular dystonia. Limb dystonias also appeared to have a female preponderance in Iceland, a finding consistent with the findings from Oslo and Segovia8, 15 but opposite to what has been generally reported 3, 7, 9, 11, 14, 22–24…”