title: Functional improvement in cerebral palsy patients treated with botulinum toxin A injections - preliminary results.
abstract: Authors report the preliminary results of an open-label, prospective study to evaluate a functional benefit of botulinum toxin type A injections in diparetic cerebral palsy patients, using gross motor function measure (GMFM) score. In a group of 14 children (mean age 3.9 years, range 2-6) treated with Dysport 30 IU/kg, a statistically significant improvement (P < 0.05) was noticed in both simple measurements (Modified Ashworth Scale, Selective Motor Control, Passive Range of Movements, Physician Rating Scale and parental Clinical Global Impression) and complex functions (GMFM dimensions D and E) after 1 and 3 months. However, the simple measurement scores decreased (but not to the baseline) after 3 months; surprisingly, GMFM scores were still increasing (7.7% change after 3 months and 11.3% change after 6 months in nine patients). These results are in concordance with a few other data published to date. The study may support the concept of persistent functional gain in long-term treatment of spasticity caused by cerebral palsy with botulinum toxin type A.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Subdivision of Movement Disorders and Functional Neurosurgery, Medical University, Early Intervention Center*, Gdańsk, Poland. jarslawek@poczta.onet.pl
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sławek
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Klimont
mesh_terms: D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D009068:Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D009465:Neuromuscular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D009465:Neuromuscular Agents; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A