Plain Language Summary
Botulinum toxin injections can be used to smooth frown lines that appear between the eyebrows (known as glabellar lines) in patients who have moderate or severe frown lines. This study looked at how injections of a botulinum toxin (abobotulinumtoxinA [aboBoNT-A]) could help with smoothing frown lines in patients from China compared with an injection of another botulinum toxin called onabotulinumtoxinA (onaBoNT-A) or placebo (saltwater, no treatment). The study included 520 patients from China, 18–65 years old, who had moderate or severe frown lines. All patients received a first injection of either aboBoNT-A, onaBoNT-A, or saltwater, and were studied for 12 weeks. After the first injection, patients could receive up to four more injections of aboBoNT-A, given at 12-week intervals, if their frown lines became moderate or severe again. Most patients (92%) had not previously received any botulinum toxin injections. The results showed that single and repeat injections of aboBoNT-A helped to smooth moderate and severe frown lines. The researchers found that after a single injection, aboBoNT-A was superior to no treatment and was similar to onaBoNT-A. Patients recorded a response to aboBoNT-A after 2 days and the response lasted for 6 months in 17% of patients. The effect on frown lines was maintained after repeat injections and aboBoNT-A was well tolerated by patients. These results suggest that aboBoNT-A is a suitable treatment for smoothing frown lines in patients from China with moderate to severe frown lines.