Abstract
Background and purpose
Hemifacial spasm (HFS) is a common movement disorder, but its prevalence in different
populations has not been elucidated.
Methods
We reviewed all patients with HFS currently followed at the Baylor College of Medicine
Movement Disorders Clinic and compared their demographic and clinical data with a
control group of patients with cranial–cervical dystonia (CD).
Results
In contrast to patients with CD (N=145, mean age 48.64±13.61 years), of whom 117 (80.69%) were Caucasians, 13 (8.97%) Hispanic, 10 (6.90%) African-American,
and 5 (3.45%) were of Asian origin, there were 81 (61.36%) Caucasians, 24 (18.18%)
Hispanic, 13 (9.85%) African-Americans, and 14 (10.61%) Asians in the HFS group (N=132, mean age 49.33±13.25). Although there was no statistical difference in the age and gender distribution
between the two groups, the frequency of Asians in HFS group was 3.1 times higher
than that in CD group (P<0.01). Furthermore, the prevalence of Asians among patients with HFS was nearly twice
the estimated prevalence of Asians in a general Houston population (5.48%).
Conclusion
Our results support the observation that HFS is much more common in the Asian population
than in other populations. Further epidemiological, genetic, imaging and anatomic
studies are needed to understand the apparent difference in the prevalence of this
peripherally induced movement disorder.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: September 28, 2010
Accepted:
August 12,
2010
Received in revised form:
August 11,
2010
Received:
May 20,
2010
Identification
Copyright
© 2010 Elsevier B.V. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
