Long-term Effect of Sodium Oxybate (Xyrem®) in Spasmodic Dysphonia with Vocal Tremor

Background: Symptoms of spasmodic dysphonia (SD) are usually managed successfully with botulinum toxin injections. Vocal tremor (VT), which accompanies SD, has a poor response to this treatment.

Case Report: We report a case of a female with SD and VT who became symptom-free for 10 months after the intake of a single dose of sodium oxybate (Xyrem®). The long-term treatment effect correlated with attenuated brain activity in the key regions of dystonic brain network.

Discussion: Our case demonstrates that the novel treatment of sodium oxybate may hold promise for SD patients, especially those who have associated VT.