Quality of life in patients with blepharospasm

• Published in: Collegium antropologicum Vol. 37; no. 1; pp. 29 - 34
• Main Authors: Biuk, Dubravka, Karin, Anita Alegić, Matić, Suzana, Barać, Josip, Benasić, Tvrtka, Stiglmayer, Neda
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Croatia 01.03.2013
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Blepharospasm - drug therapy; Blepharospasm - psychology; Botulinum Toxins, Type A - therapeutic use; Diseases; Female; Humans; Male; Medical treatment; Middle Aged; Patients; Prospective Studies; Quality of Life; Regression analysis; Surveys and Questionnaires; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0350-6134

The aim of this prospective study was to analyse the quality of life in patients with blepharospasm grade III and IV and to explore whether Botulinum neurotoxin type A treatment improves their quality of life. We used a WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire, based on the existing WHO recommendation and its meaningful metric characteristics. The study included 37 patients with either grade/type III or IV blepharospasm who were treated with Botulinum neurotoxin Type A. Each patient completed the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire by themselves just before the Botulinum Neurotoxin Type A (BT-A) therapy application, when the clinical symptoms of blepharospasm were most manifest and a month and a half after, when the regression of symptoms appeared. Consequently, the application of BT-A resulted in improved changes in terms of quality of life in 3 of the 4 measured fields (psychical and physical health as well as the environmental living conditions).