title: Botulinum toxin and short-term electrical stimulation in the treatment of equinus in cerebral palsy.
abstract: Intramuscular botulinum toxin type A (BT-A) has been shown to reduce spasticity and to improve gait in children with cerebral palsy. To determine whether the efficacy of BT-A may be enhanced by electrical stimulation, as suggested in focal dystonia or in adult spastic patients, 12 children with dynamic foot equinus deformity were randomly assigned to two groups in a blinded, clinically controlled trial. Intramuscular BT-A into calf muscles was followed by adjuvant electrical stimulation in Group A (n = 6) but not in Group B (n = 6). Clinical assessment and instrumented gait analysis were performed before and 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment. The combined treatment of BT-A and electrical stimulation was not superior to BT-A alone. For all patients, improvement of the clinical and gait variables occurred at 1 and 3 months after BT-A injection.
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Unit, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Detrembleur
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Lejeune
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Renders
authors.forename: P Y K
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Van Den Bergh
mesh_terms: D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D004576:Electromyography; D004863:Equinus Deformity / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009465:Neuromuscular Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011897:Random Allocation; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D009465:Neuromuscular Agents; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A