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Pinto JV, Pérez SS, Garcia-Lopez I. Laryngeal Dystonia, Dystonic Tremor and Vocal Tremor: Three Different Entities. J Voice 2023:S0892-1997(23)00378-8. [PMID: 38155056 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2023.11.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The main objective of this study was to compare the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with laryngeal dystonia (LD), dystonic tremor (DT), and vocal tremor (VT). STUDY DESIGN This was a retrospective longitudinal study. METHODS Data analysis from every patient diagnosed with LD, DT, or VT from January 1, 2010, to September 30, 2022, at a tertiary hospital center. Differential diagnosis between these entities was clinical (clinical history, voice assessment, and endoscopy) and confirmed by laryngeal electromyography. RESULTS A total of 87 patients were included in this study: 50 patients with LD, 23 with DT, and 14 with VT. Age at diagnosis was significantly lower in patients with LD, with a mean age of 56.2 years when compared to DT (67.6 years; P = 0.002) and VT (70.5 years; P = 0.009). Furthermore, VT had a higher female prevalence (92.9%) when compared with LD (52%; P = 0.011). LD was mainly adductor, with only two patients diagnosed with abductor LD, and DT was adductor in every case. Tremor direction in patients with VT was horizontal in 50% and mixed (horizontal + vertical) in 50%, while in DT was mixed in 65.2% and horizontal in 34.8%. LD was more commonly an isolated laryngeal movement disorder (78%) when compared to DT (47.8%; P = 0.015) or VT (28.5%; P < 0.001), which were more often secondary to generalized neurological disorders. There were no differences between groups on Voice Handicap Index-10, self-reported grade of dysphonia on a visual analogic scale (0-10), maximum phonation time, and G, R, B, A, and I in the GRBAS-I scale at diagnosis (P > 0.05). S was significantly higher in LD when compared to VT (P < 0.001) and nonsignificantly higher than in DT (P = 0.075). CONCLUSIONS LD, DT, and VT seem to be different entities with different demographics and clinical characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Viana Pinto
- Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain.
| | | | - Isabel Garcia-Lopez
- Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
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Angelini L, Terranova R, Lazzeri G, van den Berg KRE, Dirkx MF, Paparella G. The role of laboratory investigations in the classification of tremors. Neurol Sci 2023; 44:4183-4192. [PMID: 37814130 PMCID: PMC10641063 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-023-07108-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Tremor is the most common movement disorder. Although clinical examination plays a significant role in evaluating patients with tremor, laboratory tests are useful to classify tremors according to the recent two-axis approach proposed by the International Parkinson and Movement Disorders Society. METHODS In the present review, we will discuss the usefulness and applicability of the various diagnostic methods in classifying and diagnosing tremors. We will evaluate a number of techniques, including laboratory and genetic tests, neurophysiology, and neuroimaging. The role of newly introduced innovative tremor assessment methods will also be discussed. RESULTS Neurophysiology plays a crucial role in tremor definition and classification, and it can be useful for the identification of specific tremor syndromes. Laboratory and genetic tests and neuroimaging may be of paramount importance in identifying specific etiologies. Highly promising innovative technologies are being developed for both clinical and research purposes. CONCLUSIONS Overall, laboratory investigations may support clinicians in the diagnostic process of tremor. Also, combining data from different techniques can help improve understanding of the pathophysiological bases underlying tremors and guide therapeutic management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Angelini
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Dell'Università 30, 00185, Rome, Italy.
| | - Roberta Terranova
- Department of Medical, Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies "GF Ingrassia," University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Giulia Lazzeri
- IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Neurology Unit, Milan, Italy
| | - Kevin R E van den Berg
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, Center of Expertise for Parkinson and Movement Disorders, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Michiel F Dirkx
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, Center of Expertise for Parkinson and Movement Disorders, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Giulia Paparella
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Dell'Università 30, 00185, Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli (IS), Italy
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Voice Tremor and Botulinum Neurotoxin Therapy: A Contemporary Review. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14110773. [PMID: 36356023 PMCID: PMC9698548 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14110773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Voice tremor is a common, yet debilitating symptom for patients suffering from a number of tremor-associated disorders. The key to targeting effective treatments for voice tremor requires a fundamental understanding of the pathophysiology that underpins the tremor mechanism and accurate identification of the disease in affected patients. An updated review of the literature detailing the current understanding of voice tremor (with or without essential tremor), its accurate diagnosis and targeted treatment options was conducted, with a specific focus on the role of botulinum neurotoxin. Judicious patient selection, following detailed characterisation of voice tremor qualities, is essential to optimising treatment outcomes for botulinum neurotoxin therapy, as well as other targeted therapies. Further focused investigation is required to characterise the response to targeted treatment in voice tremor patients and to guide the development of innovative treatment options.
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Lowell SY, Kelley RT, Dischinat N, Monahan M, Hosbach-Cannon CJ, Colton RH, Mihaila D. Clinical Features of Essential Voice Tremor and Associations with Tremor Severity and Response to Octanoic Acid Treatment. Laryngoscope 2021; 131:E2792-E2801. [PMID: 33864634 DOI: 10.1002/lary.29558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS The purpose of this study was to characterize the clinical features, tremor variability, and factors related to octanoic acid (OA) treatment response in essential voice tremor (EVT). STUDY DESIGN Prospective, double blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study with secondary analysis. METHODS Clinical tremor features in 16 individuals with EVT were comprehensively assessed, and correlations with acoustic tremor severity were determined. Intrasubject and intersubject variability measures were analyzed from 18 repeated measures for each acoustic tremor variable. Clinical correlates of treatment response were evaluated, and cumulative effects over a 2-week period of OA drug dosing were assessed. RESULTS Participants with EVT were 90% female with a mean age of 70.31 (±8.68) years at the time of testing. Neurologist-rated body tremor beyond the vocal tract region was present in 69% of participants, and multiple vocal tract regions contributed to the voice tremor. The mean frequency of amplitude tremor was 4.67 Hz (±0.88). Respiratory tremor was evident in 50% of participants. Participants experienced moderate voice-related disability as assessed on the Voice Handicap Index-10 (19.38, ±8.50), and increased speaking effort. Acoustic tremor severity was significantly associated with severity of tremor affecting vocal tract structures. Overall intrasubject consistency was strong (single measures intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.701, P < .01), with high intersubject variability. Acoustic tremor severity was significantly, positively associated with treatment response, and results suggested a cumulative OA benefit for magnitude of amplitude tremor. CONCLUSIONS This study identified common clinical correlates of EVT and demonstrated positive associations between acoustic tremor severity, severity of affected vocal tract structures, and response to treatment. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 2 Laryngoscope, 2021.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soren Y Lowell
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, U.S.A
| | - Richard T Kelley
- Department of Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York, U.S.A
| | - Nicole Dischinat
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, U.S.A
| | - Marika Monahan
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, U.S.A
| | - Carly J Hosbach-Cannon
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, U.S.A
| | - Raymond H Colton
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, U.S.A
| | - Dragos Mihaila
- Department of Neurology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York, U.S.A
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Abstract
Essential tremor is one of the most common tremor syndromes. According to the recent tremor classification, tremor as a symptom is defined as an involuntary, rhythmic, oscillatory movement of a body part and is classified along two axes: axis 1-defining syndromes based on the clinical features such as historical features, tremor characteristics, associated signs, and laboratory tests; and axis 2-classifying the etiology (Bhatia et al., Mov Disord 33:75-87, 2018). The management of this condition has two major approaches. The first is to exclude treatable etiologies, as particularly during the onset of this condition the presentation of a variety of etiologies can be with monosymptomatic tremor. Once the few etiologies with causal treatments are excluded, all further treatment is symptomatic. Shared decision-making with enabling the patient to knowledgeably choose treatment options is needed to customize the management. Mild to moderate tremor severity can sometimes be controlled with occupational treatment, speech therapy of psychotherapy, or adaptation of coping strategy. First-line pharmacological treatments include symptomatic treatment with propranolol, primidone, and topiramate. Botulinum toxin is for selected cases. Invasive treatments for essential tremor should be considered for severe tremors. They are generally accepted as the most powerful interventions and provide not only improvement of tremor but also a significant improvement of life quality. The current standard is deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the thalamic and subthalamic region. Focused ultrasound thalamotomy is a new therapy attracting increasing interest. Radiofrequency lesioning is only rarely done if DBS or focused ultrasound is not possible. Radiosurgery is not well established. We present our treatment algorithm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Hopfner
- Department of Neurology, UKSH, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Rosalind-Fraenklinstr. 10, 24105, Kiel, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Günther Deuschl
- Department of Neurology, UKSH, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Rosalind-Fraenklinstr. 10, 24105, Kiel, Germany.
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Tripoliti E. Voice tremor and acoustic analysis: Finding harmony through the waves. Clin Neurophysiol 2020; 131:1144-1145. [PMID: 32199728 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2020.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elina Tripoliti
- UCL, Institute of Neurology, Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UK.
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Mororó WC, Herbella FA, de Oliveira KVG, De Biase NG. Pharyngeal Motility Before and After Thyroarytenoid Muscle Botulinum Toxin Injection. Dysphagia 2019; 35:806-813. [PMID: 31863177 DOI: 10.1007/s00455-019-10086-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Botulinum toxin type A (BTA) injection in intrinsic laryngeal musculature may result in dysphagia and consequent loss of quality of life (QOL) in a percentage of patients. This study aims to evaluate pharyngeal motility as a putative cause for this change in swallow quality in light of high-resolution manometry (HRM). Twenty patients (95% females, median age 66 years) underwent high-resolution manometry before and after BTA injection. Dysphagia was evaluated based on a QOL dedicated questionnaire (SWAL-QOL) before and after BTA injection. Pharyngeal motility at the topography of the vellum, epiglottis, and upper esophageal sphincter (UES) were recorded. Eleven (55%) subjects had worsened QOL after BTA injection. In patients with worsened QOL, UES extension decreased (p = 0.005), UES residual pressure increased (p = 0.02), UES basal pressure decreased (p = 0.04), and velopharynx contraction duration decreased (p = 0.04). UES residual pressure increased (p = 0.01), velopharynx peak pressure (p = 0.04) and upstroke (p = 0.007) decreased in patients with maintained QOL. There was no difference between groups when comparing pre-injection values. UES extension (p = 0.01) and UES maximum relaxation time (p = 0.03) was lower in the group with worsened QOL after BTA as compared to no change in QOL. Pharyngeal motility as measured by HRM was not a predictor for post procedure dysphagia and the changes in motility after BTA injection does not seem to be a strong contributor to dysphagia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Welber Chaves Mororó
- Department of Ear, Nose and Throat, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Rua Pedro de Toledo 947, Sao Paulo, SP, 04038-002, Brazil.
| | - Fernando Augusto Herbella
- Department of Surgery, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Rua Diogo de Faria 1087 cj 301, Sao Paulo, SP, 04037-003, Brazil
| | - Karine Valéria Gonçalves de Oliveira
- Department of Ear, Nose and Throat, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Rua Pedro de Toledo 947, Sao Paulo, SP, 04038-002, Brazil
| | - Noemi Grigoletto De Biase
- Department of Ear, Nose and Throat, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Rua Pedro de Toledo 947, Sao Paulo, SP, 04038-002, Brazil.,Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo, Rua Monte Alegre 984, Sao Paulo, SP, 05014-901, Brazil
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Abstract
Essential tremor is one of the most common movement disorders in adults and can affect both children and adults. An updated consensus statement in 2018 redefined essential tremor as an isolated action tremor present in bilateral upper extremities for at least three years. Tremor may also be present in other locations, commonly the neck or the vocal cords. Patients with additional neurologic symptoms are now categorized as "essential tremor plus." Additional clinical features associated with the condition include but are not limited to cognitive impairment, psychiatric disorders, and hearing loss. When treatment is needed, propranolol and primidone are considered first line treatments. Patients who are severely affected are often offered deep brain stimulation. Although the ventral intermediate nucleus of the thalamus is the traditional surgical target, the caudal zona incerta is also being studied as a possible superior alternative. Magnetic resonance imaging guided high intensity focused ultrasound is a newer surgical alternative that may be ideal for patients with substantial medical comorbidities. Current research explores novel oral treatments, chemodenervation, and noninvasive neuromodulation for treatment of essential tremor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicki Shanker
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
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Guglielmino G, de Moraes BT, Villanova LC, Padovani M, Biase NGD. Comparison of botulinum toxin and propranolol for essential and dystonic vocal tremors. Clinics (Sao Paulo) 2018; 73:e87. [PMID: 30020342 PMCID: PMC6015262 DOI: 10.6061/clinics/2018/e87] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2017] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Vocal tremors, which cause social difficulties for patients, may be classified as resting or action tremors. Of the vocal action tremors, essential and dystonic tremors are the most common. Botulinum toxin and oral medications have been used to treat vocal tremors, but no comparative clinical trials have been performed. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of botulinum toxin injection and the oral administration of propranolol in the treatment of essential and dystonic vocal tremors. METHODS This clinical trial recruited 15 patients, divided into essential and dystonic vocal tremor groups. Patients in both groups received successive treatment with botulinum toxin and propranolol. The treatments were administered at different times; the order of treatment was randomly selected. Patients were assessed with flexible nasofibrolaryngoscopy and with perceptual and acoustic voice evaluations. A statistical significance level of 0.05 (5%) was used. RESULTS Botulinum toxin produced statistically significant improvements in perceptual measures of vocal instability in patients with dystonic vocal tremors compared with baseline values and treatment with propranolol. The acoustic measure of variability in the fundamental frequency was significantly lower in patients with dystonic vocal tremors after treatment with botulinum toxin. CONCLUSION Essential and dystonic vocal tremors responded differently to treatment. Dystonic vocal tremors responded significantly to treatment with botulinum toxin but not oral propranolol. Essential vocal tremors did not respond significantly to either treatment, perhaps due to the small number of patients, which is a limitation of this research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grazzia Guglielmino
- Departamento de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia de Cabeca e Pescoco, Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, BR
- *Corresponding author. E-mail:
| | | | - Luiz Celso Villanova
- Departamento de Neurologia, Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, BR
| | - Marina Padovani
- Fonoaudiologia, Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, BR
| | - Noemi Grigoletto De Biase
- Departamento de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia de Cabeca e Pescoco, Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, BR
- Pontifícia Universidade Catolica de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, BR
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