The Impact of Anxiety and Upper Limb Disability on Participation Levels in People With Dystonia An Observational Cross-Sectional Case-Control Study

Objective This study sought to evaluate the level of anxiety in people with dystonia and to examine a possible relationship between the level of participation, anxiety, and functional limitations. Design This is an observational, cross-sectional, case-control study with 12 cases of focal dystonia and 12 healthy controls aged between 18 and 75 yrs. The Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, the QuickDASH scale, and the Measure of Participation and Activities were used. Differences in scores and effect size were analyzed through the Student t test and Cohen d test. A multiple regression model was performed to determine the relationship between variables. Results People with dystonia obtained higher scores in the three subsections of the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (total anxiety, psychiatric anxiety, and somatic anxiety; P < 0.05) and on the QuickDASH scale, together with lower scores in participation in activities of daily living of the Measure of Participation and Activities (P = 0.01). Greater upper limb disability was associated with a greater negative impact on participation in activities of daily living (P < 0.01); however, no significant relationship was found with anxiety (P > 0.05). Conclusions This study suggests that the ability of people with dystonia to participate in society is negatively affected by the level of disability of the upper limb, but even when anxiety-age-related differences were controlled for, no relationship was found between variables.

Automated summary

This study found that individuals with dystonia have higher levels of anxiety and functional limitations compared to healthy controls. Higher upper limb disability was associated with a greater negative impact on participation in activities of daily living. However, there was no significant relationship found between anxiety and participation levels in people with dystonia.