28 Sep Study Compares Three Types of Botulinum Injections For Involuntary Facial Movements
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Ward
P. Daniel Ward, MD, MS, FACS
Facial Plastic Surgeon
WardMD Form Medical SpaAdjunct Associate Professor, University of Utah School of Medicine
Salt Lake City, Utah 84121
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: As a facial plastic surgeon with an interest in finding treatments for patients with facial paralysis, we are always looking for ways to improve the care that our patients receive. One of those treatments is to treat the effects of abnormal and asymmetric facial motion with botulinum, which decreases the deformity that results from facial nerve disorders by decreasing muscular hyperactivity.
This study was based on the fact that there are three commercially available types of botulinum available for treatment of the face. There have been studies that have compared the different types of botulinum for cosmetic purposes, but there have not been any studies that specifically looked to see if there were any differences between the different types of botulinum when used for treatment of facial nerve disorders.
The main finding of the study is that the three different types of botulinum are essentially equivalent with the exception being that one type of botulinum, incobotulinum toxin, was slightly less effective than the other two types of botulinum at the 4-week follow up point. Of note, all three types were equivalent at all other time points.
MedicalResearch.com: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?
Response: Readers should be reassured that all three types of botulinum are effective, but that incobotulinum toxin had a slightly decreased level of efficacy at the 4-week time point. They should also know that further research is needed to determine the reasons for this finding.
MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Response: Further research is needed to help determine the reasons why incobotulinum toxin had less efficacy at the 4 week mark as compared to no difference at the 1 week and 2 week timepoints.
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Last Updated on September 28, 2017 by Marie Benz MD FAAD