An open-label study of sodium oxybate in Spasmodic dysphonia.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives/hypothesis

Spasmodic dysphonia (SD) is a task-specific laryngeal dystonia that affects speech production. Co-occurring voice tremor (VT) often complicates the diagnosis and clinical management of SD. Treatment of SD and VT is largely limited to botulinum toxin injections into laryngeal musculature; other pharmacological options are not sufficiently developed.

Study design

Open-label study.

Methods

We conducted an open-label study in 23 SD and 22 SD/VT patients to examine the effects of sodium oxybate (Xyrem), an oral agent with therapeutic effects similar to those of alcohol in these patients. Blinded randomized analysis of voice and speech samples assessed symptom improvement before and after drug administration.

Results

Sodium oxybate significantly

SUBMITTER: Rumbach AF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5415435 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature