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Incidence and prevalence of Hemifacial Spasm in Finland's largest hospital district
Paula Nurminen1, Johan Marjamaa2, Mika Niemelä2
1Hemifacial Spasm Research Group, Meilahti Hospital, HUS Neurocenter Haartmaninkatu 4, 00029 Helsinki, Finland.
Background:
Hemifacial spasm (HFS) is a movement disorder of facial muscles innervated by the facial nerve. This condition often demands regular utilization of healthcare resources. However, knowledge of the incidence and prevalence of this condition is based on scarce studies. This research aimed to identify the incidence and prevalence of HFS in Finland's largest hospital district.
Methods:
This retrospective study was conducted in the largest hospital district in Finland (Helsinki and Uusimaa). The study included consecutive HFS patients who visited the departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery in the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa between 2014 and 2019. The demographics included sex, side of the spasm, treatment allocations, duration of symptoms before diagnosis, and age at the time of diagnosis.
Results:
279 patients were identified from the medical records. 62% of patients were women and had left-sided spasms. The crude mean incidence among women was almost double that of men (1.86 vs. 0.94). The highest crude mean annual incidence among men was in the age group 60-79 years, while among women, it peaked in the age group 80 years and over. The mean annual age-standardized incidence of HFS was 1.53, 1.94 in women, and 1.05 in men. The mean age-standardized yearly prevalence was 10.62, 11.62 among women, and 9.31 among men. The annual age-standardized prevalence of HFS increased steadily from 2014 to 2019.
Conclusions:
The incidence and prevalence of women outnumbered men. HFS is typically left-sided. The HFS incidence peaked after 80 years in women and men aged 60-79 years.
