The safety and tolerability of botulinum toxins for the treatment of cervical dystonia.

The use of botulinum toxin to treat cervical dystonia (CD) has dramatically improved the quality of life of patients with this disabling, often painful disease. Two forms of type A toxin (BOTOX and Dysport) and one form of type B toxin (MyoBloc) are available in some parts of the world to treat patients with CD. The literature supports the efficacy of each in reducing the pain and movement of cervical dystonia. The dosing and side effects vary between the toxins. The potential availability of several forms of toxin will allow physicians to offer further treatment options to patients with CD. However, it is incumbent on the treating physicians to have a working knowledge of the different serotypes, different doses used of each formulation of each serotype, the side effect profile of each product and the potential for anti-body formation for each form of toxin.