Objective: We aim to characterize clinical and demographic features and assess prevalence of spread of dystonia in relation to health-related quality of life in CD patients.

Background: Cervical dystonia (CD) is the most prevalent form of adult-onset isolated focal dystonia and has the third highest risk of spread.

Method: We retrospectively collected demographic data and assessed patients using the CD Impact Profile-58 (CDIP-58), EuroQol-Utility Values (EQoL-UV), Beck’s Anxiety & Depression Inventories (BAI & BDI-II) and Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Scale-2 (TWSTRS-2). Analyses were done using non-parametric tests.

Results: In 194 CD patients (129 women, 65 men); 30/194(15%) patients had a spread of dystonia (SoD) with similar prevalence in men 9/65(14%) and women 21/129(16%). The group with a spread of dystonia (SoD) had significantly longer duration of CD than the group with no spread of dystonia (NSoD)(p=0.0008). Women with a SoD scored worse on the BDI-II than men with SoD(p=0.0459). There was a significantly longer duration of CD by 14 years in women with SoD than women with NSoD(p=0.0002). Men with SoD had earlier age at onset and shorter duration of disease than men with NSoD but this was not statistically significant {p=0.3358; p=0.6912 respectively}.

Conclusion: Prevalence of spread of dystonia in CD patients is similar across both sex. While it does not directly impact on HrQoL, women with a spread of dystonia experience more depression than men. Longer duration of disease accounts for a higher risk of spread of disease. This is particularly seen in women.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/prevalence-of-spread-of-dystonia-and-its-effect-on-health-related-quality-of-life-in-an-irish-population-with-adult-onset-isolated-cervical-dystonia/