Baclofen dose study

 

Less needed for HSP

 

A study to determine adequate dose levels of intrathecal baclofen to treat spasticity has found that a significantly smaller dose is needed for HSP than for other diseases.

 

Baclofen, a gamma-aminobutyric acid receptorB agonist, is used to reduce symptoms of spasticity (hyperreflexia, increases in muscle tone, involuntary muscle activity), but the adequate baclofen dose in different diseases is unclear.

The aim of the study was to evaluate how dosage level improves the symptoms of spasticity. 25 weeks of observational longitudinal follow up study assessed 16 patients who received intrathecal baclofen given by a programmable pump.

Clinical efficacy was assessed by the Ashworth scale related with the dose of baclofen. Compared with pretreatment values, there was an improvement in clinical efficacy, but the baclofen dose needed for hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) was significantly smaller than that in other diseases.

The result shows the importance of knowledge of the adequate baclofen dose in each disease, in that baclofen causes some clinically significant adverse reactions.

 

SOURCE: No Shinkei Geka. 2011 Apr;39(4):345-350.

 

Adequate Dose of Intrathecal Baclofen Therapy for Spasticity.

[Article in Japanese]

Wajima D, Hirabayashi H, Nishimura F, Motoyama Y, Nakase H.

Department of Neurosurgery, University of Nara Medical Graduate School.

 

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