Long‐term botulinum toxin treatment increases employment rate in patients with cervical dystonia

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Abstract
We examined the impact of cervical dystonia (CD) and long‐term botulinum toxin (BTX) treatment on employment status. Data on employment status at onset of CD, at initiation of BTX treatment, and at evaluation of long‐term treatment were obtained from 62 CD patients aged 31–66 years (median, 53 years; 61% females) who had been treated for a median of 5 years (range, 1.5–10 years). The employment rate fell from 84% at the onset of CD to 47% before initiation of BTX treatment. With long‐term BTX treatment, 72% of those who worked at the initiation of treatment stayed employed, and 67% of those on sick leave returned to work. A younger age and a higher level of education increased the probability of being employed and avoiding disability benefits. Among those who were younger than 55 years at evaluation of BTX treatment (n = 40), the employment rate increased from 47% to 65% with treatment, and among the male patients, it reached the level of the general population (86%). About half of the 34% who received disability benefits did so already before the BTX treatment was initiated. © 2005 Movement Disorder Society