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Revisiting the link between hypertension and hemifacial spasm.

ABSTRACT: The relationship between hypertension and hemifacial spasm (HFS) has been debated. Microvascular decompression surgery is effective in some HFS patients with uncontrolled hypertension. To address current gaps in knowledge, we conducted a meta-analysis of case-control studies that have examined the prevalence of hypertension in HFS patients compared to non-HFS controls. We also evaluated the implications and limitations of the pooled studies. We identified 62 studies from PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science and Scholar.google.com and six studies that fit our inclusion criteria were included. A random-effects model was used to derive the pooled estimate of the Odds Ratio. The data was plotted on a Forest plot. A pooled analysis involving 51585 subjects, 549 cases, 720 neurological controls and 50316 controls from the general population, showed that HFS patients had a higher chance of developing hypertension (OR = 1.72, 95% CI = (1.12, 2.31), p-value <0.001). The prevalence of hypertension was higher in HFS patients as compared to non-HFS patients. This meta-analysis highlights a positive correlation between hypertension and HFS. Blood pressure should be closely monitored during the follow-up of HFS patients. Preliminary links between ventrolateral medullary (VLM) compression and HFS should be further evaluated in future studies.

SUBMITTER: Leong JL

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4759578 | biostudies-other | 2016 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Project description:Hemifacial spasm is typically caused by vascular compression of the proximal intracranial facial nerve. Although the prevalence of neurovascular compression has been investigated in a cohort of patients with classical trigeminal neuralgia, the prevalence and severity of neurovascular compression has not been well characterized in patients with hemifacial spasm. We aimed to investigate whether presence and severity of neurovascular compression are correlated to the symptomatic side in patients with hemifacial spasm. All patients in our study were evaluated by a physician who specializes in the management of cranial nerve disorders. Once hemifacial spasm was diagnosed on physical exam, the patient underwent a dedicated cranial nerve protocol magnetic resonance imaging study on a 3 T scanner. Exams were retrospectively reviewed by a neuroradiologist blinded to the symptomatic side. The presence, severity, vessel type, and location of neurovascular compression along the facial nerve was recorded. Neurovascular compression was graded as contact alone (vessel touching the facial nerve) versus deformity (indentation or deviation of the nerve by the culprit vessel). A total of 330 patients with hemifacial spasm were included. The majority (232) were female while the minority (98) were male. The average age was 55.7 years. Neurovascular compression (arterial) was identified on both the symptomatic (97.88%) and asymptomatic sides (38.79%) frequently. Neurovascular compression from an artery along the susceptible/proximal portion of the nerve was much more common on the symptomatic side (96.36%) than on the asymptomatic side (12.73%), odds ratio = 93.00, P < 0.0001. When we assessed severity of arterial compression, the more severe form of neurovascular compression, deformity, was noted on the symptomatic side (70.3%) much more frequently than on the asymptomatic side (1.82%) (odds ratio = 114.00 P < 0.0001). We conclude that neurovascular compression that results in deformity of the susceptible portion of the facial nerve is highly associated with the symptomatic side in hemifacial spasm.

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Revisiting the link between hypertension and hemifacial spasm.

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