rss
J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2007;78:1310-1313 doi:10.1136/jnnp.2006.111609
  • Paper

Hyperacusis in patients with complex regional pain syndrome related dystonia

  1. M J M de Klaver1,
  2. M A van Rijn1,
  3. J Marinus1,
  4. W Soede2,
  5. J A P M de Laat2,
  6. J J van Hilten1
  1. 1
    Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands
  2. 2
    Audiological Centre, Leiden University Medical Centre Leiden, the Netherlands
  1. Dr J J van Hilten, Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Centre, PO Box 9600, NL-2300 RC Leiden, the Netherlands; J.J.van_Hilten{at}lumc.nl
  • Received 22 November 2006
  • Revised 11 April 2007
  • Accepted 16 April 2007
  • Published Online First 30 April 2007

Abstract

Introduction: In complex regional pain syndrome type 1 (CRPS-1), patients may have manifestations of central involvement, including allodynia, hyperalgesia or dystonia. We noted that more severely affected patients may experience hyperacusis, which may also reflect central involvement. The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence and characteristics of hyperacusis in patients with CRPS related dystonia.

Methods: The presence of hyperacusis, speech reception thresholds (SRT), pure-tone thresholds (PTT) and uncomfortable loudness (UCL) was evaluated in 40 patients with CRPS related dystonia.

Results: PTT and SRT were normal for all patients. 15 patients (38%) reported hyperacusis and this was associated with allodynia/hyperalgesia and with more affected extremities. UCLs of patients with hyperacusis were significantly lower than UCLs of patients without hyperacusis.

Conclusion: Hyperacusis is common among severely affected patients with CRPS related dystonia and may indicate that the disease spreads beyond those circuits related to sensory–motor processing of extremities.

Footnotes

  • Funding: The project was supported by a grant from the Dutch Government (BSIK03016).

  • Competing interests: None.

  • Abbreviations:
    CRPS
    complex regional pain syndrome
    FI
    Fletcher Index
    PCCL
    Pain Coping and Cognition List
    PTT
    pure-tone threshold
    SRT
    speech reception threshold
    UCL
    uncomfortable loudness

Responses to this article

  • Hyperacusis : stapedius dystonia?
    • Carmela Gerace,
    • Claudio Pianura
    J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry published online January 24, 2008

This Article

  1. Abstract
  2. Full text
  3. PDF
  4. All versions of this article:
    1. jnnp.2006.111609v1
    2. 78/12/1310 most recent

Register for free content

The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.

Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.

BMJ Careers - Latest neurology and neurosurgery jobs