Changes in gait following continuous intrathecal baclofen infusion in ambulant children and young adults with cerebral palsy.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effect of continuous intrathecal baclofen infusion (ITB) on gait parameters of ambulant children with cerebral palsy (CP).


METHODS
The assessment before and 16 months after ITB on seven children with CP (mean age 15 years, SD 5.4) included: Ashworth scale score, range of motion (hip, knee, ankle), Gillette functional assessment questionnaire (FAQ), joint kinematics, spatiotemporal parameters and Gillette Gait Index (GGI).


RESULTS
Gillette FAQ significantly improved from 6.1 to 7.1. Mean GGI improved from 554.50 to 489.25, which was not significant although the improvement was large for three children. Parameters in the sagittal plane were significantly modified with a significant increase in step length (0.65 m to 0.74 m) and a significant increase in hip extension during stance phase (32.25 degrees to 21.6 degrees ). These results were correlated to clinical assessments.


CONCLUSIONS
ITB seems to improve sagittal gait parameters of children and young adults with CP.
Brochard
Sylvain
S
CHU Brest, Service Médecine Physique et de Réadaptation, Brest, France. sylvain.brochard@chu-brest.fr
Lempereur
Mathieu
M
Filipetti
Paul
P
Rémy-Néris
Olivier
O
D000293:Adolescent; D001418:Baclofen / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D015918:Infusion Pumps, Implantable; D008297:Male; D009125:Muscle Relaxants, Central / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D009125:Muscle Relaxants, Central; D001418:Baclofen