Chengyun Wang1, Xiangyu Zhu2, Lei Xia1, Peng Xie3, Xiangyang Tian1, Jin Shang4, Qiu Han5. 1. Department of Neurology, Huai'an First People's Hospital, The Affiliated Huai'an No. 1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, No. 1 Huanghe West Road, Huai'an, 223000, Jiangsu, China. 2. ICU, The Second People's Hospital of Huai'an, The Affiliated Huai'an Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Huai'an, 223000, Jiangsu, China. 3. Department of Neurosurgery, The Second People's Hospital of Huai'an, The Affiliated Huai'an Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Huai'an, 223000, Jiangsu, China. 4. Department of Neurology, Huai'an First People's Hospital, The Affiliated Huai'an No. 1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, No. 1 Huanghe West Road, Huai'an, 223000, Jiangsu, China. sj.hy@163.com. 5. Department of Neurology, Huai'an First People's Hospital, The Affiliated Huai'an No. 1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, No. 1 Huanghe West Road, Huai'an, 223000, Jiangsu, China. dahuihui19830809@163.com.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed at assessing mental health in patients with hemifacial spasm (HFS) and determined the effect of botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) on psychological distress in patients with HFS. METHODS: Ninety-five HFS patients and 95 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled. Symptom checklist-90 (SCL-90) scores were used to measure psychological distress in HFS patients and healthy controls. The mental health status of HFS patients was also evaluated by SCL-90, before and after the injection of BTX-A. Moreover, for those patients with abnormal mental health, efficacy outcomes after treatment with BTX-A were compared with a propensity score-matched historical cohort without BTX-A treatment. RESULTS: The mean scores for interpersonal sensitivity, phobia, anxiety, depression, and somatization were significantly higher among HFS patients than healthy people (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between female patients and male patients in HFS group (P > 0.05). There were significant improvements in somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, and phobia scores before and after treatment (P < 0.05). At 2 months, more patients experienced an improvement in psychological distress in the BTX-A group (61.29% versus 38.71%; P = 0.03). CONCLUSION: Patients with HFS are often accompanied by somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, and phobia. Our findings suggest that BTX-A can improve these symptoms. However, further well-designed prospective studies are warranted to validate our findings.
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed at assessing mental health in patients with hemifacial spasm (HFS) and determined the effect of botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) on psychological distress in patients with HFS. METHODS: Ninety-five HFS patients and 95 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled. Symptom checklist-90 (SCL-90) scores were used to measure psychological distress in HFS patients and healthy controls. The mental health status of HFS patients was also evaluated by SCL-90, before and after the injection of BTX-A. Moreover, for those patients with abnormal mental health, efficacy outcomes after treatment with BTX-A were compared with a propensity score-matched historical cohort without BTX-A treatment. RESULTS: The mean scores for interpersonal sensitivity, phobia, anxiety, depression, and somatization were significantly higher among HFS patients than healthy people (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between female patients and male patients in HFS group (P > 0.05). There were significant improvements in somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, and phobia scores before and after treatment (P < 0.05). At 2 months, more patients experienced an improvement in psychological distress in the BTX-A group (61.29% versus 38.71%; P = 0.03). CONCLUSION: Patients with HFS are often accompanied by somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, and phobia. Our findings suggest that BTX-A can improve these symptoms. However, further well-designed prospective studies are warranted to validate our findings.