The aim of our study was to evaluate the improvement and the occurrence of side effects following injections of Onabotulinum toxin type A (OBTA) in patients with Meige’s Syndrome.

Meige’s syndrome is a type of facial dystonia characterized by the simultaneous occurrence of blepharospasm and oromandibular dystonia. Although botulinum toxin type A is the standard treatment, evidence of its effectiveness and safety in this scenario is still lacking. 

Patients with Meige’s Syndrome who undergo injections of Botulinum Toxin at Hospital de Clínicas da Universidade Federal do Paraná were enrolled in this study. We questioned the patients about intensity of dystonia prior to and 14 days after Botulinum toxin injection, using the Burke-Fahn-Marsden Dystonia Rating Scale (BFMDRS) to measure the response of dystonia in the eyes (blepharospasm) and mouth (oromandibular dystonia). Other variables such as dosage, the occurrence of side effects, and demographic data were also registered. 

The study sample had 41 participants, with a mean age of 67.7 years old and a 3.5:1 female-to-male ratio. Mean BFMDRS before the applications was 8.89 and after 14 days, 2.88. The most common side effect reported was ptosis, with a 12.6% incidence. Botulinum toxin effectively reduced dystonia severity (BFMDRS Total score: p < 0.0001, Hedge’s g = 1.88, CI 95% 1.35 – 2.40). Clinical response for the blepharospasm component was superior to the oromandibular dystonia component.

Our study results show that Onabotulinum toxin type A is an effective and safe therapeutic option for the treatment of Meige’s Syndrome. The effect of botulinum toxin was more significant in the treatment of blepharospasm than in oromandibular dystonia. Further studies may be helpful to evaluate other determining factors in Meige's syndrome treatment.