SPONTANEOUS REMISSION IN PATIENTS WITH ESSENTIAL BLEPHAROSPASM AND MEIGE SYNDROME

PURPOSE: To determine the frequency of remission in patients with esse ntial blepharospasm and Meige syndrome. METHOD: Retrospective analysis of patients by means of questionnaire in an institutional setting. RE SULTS: Among 238 patients diagnosed in a single institution as having essential blepharospasm or Meige syndrome, 27 (11.3%) claimed to be sy mptom free without curative surgery, The average time between onset an d resolution in the patients who claimed remission was 4.85 years (ran ge, 3 months to 22 years). Among these patients, the duration of remis sion averaged 6.33 years (range, 1 year to 14 years). CONCLUSION: Pati ents with essential blepharospasm or Meige syndrome have a small but d efinite potential for spontaneous remission of symptoms, particularly within the first 5 years after onset of symptoms. (C) 1998 by Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.