title: The clinical effect of the GABA-agonist, progabide, on spasticity.
abstract: In a double-blind cross-over trial of two 2-week periods, the clinical effect of progabide was compared to placebo. 16 patients with spasticity in a stationary phase completed the trial. 14 had multiple sclerosis, 2 hereditary spastic paraplegia. 5 were female and 11 male. The median age was 45.5 years (range 30-62 years). The median daily dosage of progabide was 24.3 mg/kg (range 14.3-32.7 mg/kg). During progabide treatment, there was a reduction in spastic hypertonia (P less than 0.01), a suppression of tendon reflexes (patellar) (P less than 0.01), and a reduction in the frequency of flexor spasms (P less than 0.05). No significant changes in voluntary power were registered. The global clinical impression revealed a therapeutic effect in 87% of the patients (95% confidence limits 61-98%). The improvement was judged as medium or important in 50% of the patients (95% confidence limits 23-77%). No side-effects or laboratory abnormalities were seen.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001132:Arm / Q000503:physiopathology; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009122:Muscle Hypertonia / Q000188:drug therapy; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009132:Muscles / Q000294:innervation; D010919:Placebos; D012018:Reflex / Q000187:drug effects; D012026:Reflex, Stretch / Q000187:drug effects; D012107:Research Design; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos; C017985:progabide; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid