The use of botulinum toxin type A in the treatment of HTLV-1-associated overactive bladder refractory to conventional therapy

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Main Authors: José Abraão Carneiro Neto, Valéria Gusmão Bittencourt, Cassius de Oliveira, Rosana Andrade, Edgar Marcelino de Carvalho
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 2014
• Subjects: HTLV-1; Overactive bladder; Botox; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/0037-8682-0029-2014; https://doaj.org/article/b801bcd863804ede8c134e078fbabca0

Urinary symptoms occur in 19% of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-infected patients who do not fulfill criteria for HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) and in almost 100% of HAM/TSP patients. Few studies have evaluated therapies for overactive bladder (OAB) caused by HTLV-1 infection. This case report describes the effect of onabotulinum toxin A on the urinary manifestations of three patients with HAM/TSP and OAB symptoms. The patients were intravesically administered 200 units of Botox®. Their incontinence episodes improved, and their OAB symptoms scores (OABSS) reduced significantly. These data indicate that Botox® should be a treatment option for OAB associated with HTLV-1 infection.