Natural history and treatment of tardive dystonia

We retrospectively reviewed the clinical course and response to treatment of 67 patients with tardive dystonia. The age at onset ranged from 13 to 72 years without predilection to any particular age group or sex. Patients developed tardive dystonia even after relatively short duration of exposure to dopamine antagonists (21% within one year). Five of 42 patients withdrawn from these drugs remitted. Overall clinical improvement occurred in 52% of patients. Tetrabenazine and reserpine were most effective (greater than 50% response rate) in controlling dystonia. Anticholinergic drugs diminished dystonia in 46% of patients.