The physical, social and emotional aspects are the most affected in the quality of life of the patients with cervical dystonia

Abstract

Objective: Describe the functional, clinical and quality of life (QoL) profiles in patients with cervical dystonia (CD) with residual effect or without effect of botulinum toxin (BTX), as well as verify the existence of correlation between the level of motor impairment, pain and QoL.

Method: Seventy patients were assessed through the Craniocervical dystonia questionnaire-24 (CDQ-24) and the Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS).

Results: The greater the disability, pain and severity of dystonia, the worse the QoL (p<0.0001). Greater severity relates to greater disability (p<0.0001). Pain was present in 84% of the sample, being source of disability in 41%. The most frequent complaints were: difficulty in keeping up with professional and personal demands (74.3%), feeling uneasy in public (72.9%), hindered by pain (68.6%), depressed, annoyed or bitter (47.1%), lonely or isolated (32.9%).

Conclusion: The physical, social and emotional aspects are the most affected in the QoL of these patients.