Botulinum toxin A for treatment of sialorrhea in children

January 01, 0001

Botulinum toxin A for treatment of sialorrhea in children

These Canadian authors report the results of a retrospective cohort study (case series)focused on (1) their experience with botulinum toxin A injections into the salivary glands of pediatric patients with sialorrhea, (2) the clinical outcomes of these interventions, and (3) the associated complication rates. Neurologically impaired children (n=45) were from an urban pediatric hospital and pediatric rehabilitation center. Botulinumm injections were performed under ultrasound guidance.

They found: "Forty-five subjects received a total of 91 botulinum toxin A treatments. The mean duration of effect was 4.6 months. Duration of effect (log transformed) was significantly negatively associated with saliva quantity, and there was a positive association with both increasing age and female sex, although neither reached statistical significance. Seven of the 24 documented complications were major, according to the Society of Interventional Radiology Classification System for Complications by Outcome scale. Thirty-six of the caregivers reported that this treatment improved the child's quality of life (80%)."

The authors concluded: "Ultrasonographically guided botulinum toxin A injections into the salivary glands are safe and efficacious in the management of sialorrhea in children with neurologic disorders."

The study was to small to categorically declare safety. This approach could be tested with neurologically impaired adults, too.

For the full abstract, click here.

Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 137(4):339-344, April 2011 © 2011 to the American Medical Association
Botulinum Toxin A for Treatment of Sialorrhea in Children-An Effective, Minimally Invasive Approach. Waqas Ullah Khan, Paolo Campisi, Sanjeevan Nadarajah, et al. Correspondence to Dr. Campisi: [email protected]

Category: D. Digestive. Keywords: sialorrhea, botulimun toxin, children, case series, journal watch.
Synopsis edited by Dr Linda French, Toledo, Ohio. Posted on Global Family Doctor 6 May 2011

Pearls are an independent product of the Cochrane primary care group and are meant for educational use and not to guide clinical care.

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