A survey of lifestyle factors in dystonia

Abstract

Background: Knowledge about what causes dystonia is highly incomplete, especially about the impact of nongenetic factors.

Aims of the study: This cross-sectional survey-based explorative study examined different nongenetic factors in patients with dystonia.

Methods: Information from both medical records and a questionnaire was collected. In total, 220 patients with dystonia were identified, of which 51 participated in the survey.

Results: Women had a higher prevalence for cervical dystonia than men. Smoking was approximately twice as common in our studied population compared to the general Swedish population. Significantly more men than women met the criteria for low level of physical activity, yet the proportion of missing data was high in this category.

Conclusions: Conclusions on causality cannot be drawn in this preliminary study, further research is encouraged regarding the link between smoking and dystonia.

Keywords: dystonia; lifestyle; physical activity; smoking.