title: [Effect of botulinum toxin A injection in the treatment of gastrocnemius spasticity in children aged 9-36 months with cerebral palsy: a prospective study].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the long-term clinical efficacy and adverse effects of botulinum toxin-A (BTX-A) injection in the treatment of gastrocnemius spasticity in children aged 9-36 months with cerebral palsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty children aged 9-36 months with cerebral palsy and gastrocnemius spasticity were selected and randomly divided into a BTX-A injection group and a conventional treatment group (n=40 each). The children in the BTX-A injection group received injections of BTX-A guided by color Doppler ultrasound and 4 courses of rehabilitation training after injection. Those in the conventional treatment group received 4 courses of the same rehabilitation training alone. Before treatment and at 1, 2, 3, and 6 months after treatment, the modified Tardieu scale (MTS) was applied to assess the degree of gastrocnemius spasticity, the values in the passive state measured by surface electromyography (sEMG) were applied to evaluate muscle tension, and the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) was used to evaluate gross motor function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the conventional treatment group, the BTX-A injection group had significantly greater reductions in MTS score and the values in the passive state measured by sEMG (P<0.05), as well as significantly greater increases in joint angles R1 and R2 in MTS and gross motor score in GMFM (P<0.05). No serious adverse reactions related to BTX-A injection were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BTX-A injection is effective and safe in the treatment of gastrocnemius spasticity in children aged 9-36 months with cerebral palsy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Children&prime;s Rehabilitation, Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China. zhudengna@126.com.
authors.forename: Deng-Na
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Ming-Mei
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: He-Zhou
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Po
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Hua-Chun
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Guo-Hui
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.forename: San-Song
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yun-Xia
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A