Satisfaction with botulinum toxin treatment in post-stroke spasticity: results from two cross-sectional surveys (patients and physicians)

Figures & data

Table 1. Patient demographic and baseline disease characteristics (patient survey).

Characteristic	Patients (n = 79)
Female, n (%)	32 (40.5)
Age group, n (%)
18–35 years	4 (5.1)
36–55 years	20 (25.3)
56–75 years	42 (53.2)
76–85 years	13 (16.5)
>85 years	0
Mean (SD) duration of spasticity, years	4.1 (4.0)
Area of spasticity, n (%)
Patients with lower-limb spasticity	19 (24.1)
Patients with upper-limb spasticity	26 (32.9)
Patients with upper- and lower-limb spasticity	29 (36.7)
Patients with missing data regarding area	5 (6.3)
Mean (SD) duration of botulinum toxin treatment, years	2.0 (2.3)
Other chronic disease being medically managed, n (%)	47 (59.5)

SD, standard deviation.

Figure 1. (a) Injection intervals given (n = 79). (b) Injection intervals preferred (n = 76). Patients with injection intervals <10 weeks were excluded from the survey.

Table 2. Information regarding current injection cycle (patient survey).

Satisfaction VAS	Current therapy (n = 79)	Just prior to last injection (n = 44)*	Peak effect of therapy (n = 44)*
Not satisfied at all (1–3 on VAS), n (%)	9 (11.4)	16 (36.4)	1 (2.3)
Somewhat satisfied (4–7 on VAS), n (%)	38 (48.1)	24 (54.6)	13 (29.6)
Very satisfied (8–10 on VAS), n (%),	32 (40.5)	4 (9.1)	30 (68.2)
Mean (SD)	6.6 (2.3)	4.4 (2.3)	8.2 (1.8)

*Patients were only asked to answer this question if they had stated that they had experienced a typical course of action during this treatment cycle. One patient had a missing data point for each question and was not included.

VAS, visual analog scale.

Table 3. Physician demographic and professional characteristics (physician survey).

Characteristic	Physicians (n = 105)
Female, n (%)	21 (20.0)
Age group, n (%)
≤35 years	9 (8.6)
>36–45 years	44 (41.9)
46–55 years	41 (39.1)
56–65 years	11 (10.5)
Mean (SD) time in current specialty, years	15.3 (7.9)*
Mean (SD) time using botulinum toxin for medical reasons, years, mean (SD)	9.2 (5.1)
Number of patients treated per month
Mean (SD)	224.7 (135.8)
Median	200
Range	16–600
Number of patients with post-stroke spasticity treated per month
Mean (SD)	29.6 (42.4)
Median	15
Range	1–300
Approximate percentage of patients with post-stroke spasticity treated with botulinum toxin
Mean (SD)	49.6 (32.1)
Median	50
Range	1–100

*One physician had missing data.

SD, standard deviation.

Figure 2. Impact of shortening treatment intervals (a) and of higher dosing (b), if restrictions could be removed. Physicians were asked if in their opinion there would be an improvement in therapy outcomes and patient satisfaction if restrictions regarding treatment intervals (a) or dosing (b) were removed. Percentages based on non-missing data only.