Pharyngeal spasticity due to dantrolene.
OBJECTIVE
Dantrolene can be combined with baclofen to better treat spasticity, but may cause muscular weakness and dysphagia. We instead describe a pharyngeal spasm due to dantrolene.


METHODS
A 12-year-old male received dantrolene 3 mg/kg/day in adjunct to baclofen 2 mg/kg/day, to improve spasticity. After 5 days of full-dose dantrolene, his dysphagia worsened and he developed pharyngeal spasm. Dantrolene was suspected for an adverse reaction and removed. The patient subsequently improved.


CONCLUSIONS
Causality analysis determined a probable relationship between dantrolene and pharyngeal spasm. This may be due to direct muscle contraction by dantrolene, an effect seen previously in vitro.
Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy.
F
F
Locatelli
M
M
Pozzi
P
P
Avantaggiato
M
M
Lanfranchi
L
L
Tufarulo
V
V
Amorelli
G
G
Rizzi
S
S
Radice
S
S
Galbiati
E
E
Clementi
S
S
Strazzer
D001418:Baclofen / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002648:Child; D003620:Dantrolene / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009125:Muscle Relaxants, Central / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010608:Pharyngeal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology
D009125:Muscle Relaxants, Central; D003620:Dantrolene; D001418:Baclofen
adverse effect; paediatrics; traumatic brain injury