Quality of life and direct cost regarding blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm patients treated with botulinum toxin A

PURPOSE: To evaluate both the costs and the impact on the quality of life of essential blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm patients treated with botulinum toxin-A. METHODS: 28 patients (16 essential blepharospasm and 12 hemifacial spasm), treated with BTX-A, were evaluated by means of two research tools, namely Medical Outcomes Study Short Form Healthy Survey, and Fahn Disability Rating Scale. The costs were mainly calculated on the basis of the toxin units used by each patient during a one-year period. RESULTS: The total estimated direct cost was estimated at 1,081.62 reais per year (±89.39) for essential blepharospasm and 618.06 reais per year (±60.06) for hemifacial spasm, at an outpatient level (p<0.001). Before treatment all domains of SF-36 were significantly worse in both diseases. Under effective treatment with botulinum toxin-A the increases in the indices of SF-36 show changes in the general health rates of the population under study, with a statistically significant difference between the pre and post answers (p<0.05). In relating SF-36 with the Fahn Disability Rating Scale, the essential blepharospasm cases showed significant positive relationships (functional capacity, general health, emotional aspect and social aspects) while in the hemifacial spasm patients no correlation was found. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrates a remarkable negative impact of both diseases on the quality of life of essential blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm patients, as well as a significant improvement of both diseases after botulinum toxin-A treatment. Furthermore, the research data seem to justify the high costs of botulinum toxin-A treatment in view of its considerable benefits regarding the patients' quality of life.OBJETIVO: Avaliar os custos e a qualidade de vida dos pacientes com blefaroespasmo essencial e espasmo hemifacial, submetidos à terapia com a toxina botulínica-A. MÉTODOS: Vinte e oito pacientes, sendo 16 com blefaroespasmo essencial e 12 com espasmo hemifacial, tratados com toxina botulínica-A, foram avaliados por meio de dois instrumentos: o SF-36 e a Escala de Disfunção de Blefaroespasmo. Os custos foram calculados segundo o número de unidades da toxina utilizadas por cada paciente no período de um ano. RESULTADOS: O custo total direto foi estimado em 1081,62 reais por ano (±89,39) para blefaroespasmo essencial e 618,06 reais por ano (±60,06) para espasmo hemifacial, para tratamento ambulatorial (p<0,001). Antes do tratamento, todos os domínios do SF-36 foram significantemente piores em ambas as doenças. Sob tratamento efetivo com toxina botulínica-A, os aumentos nos índices do SF-36 evidenciaram mudanças nas taxas de saúde geral da população em estudo, com diferença estatisticamente significante entre as respostas pré e pós-tratamento (p