Inherited Ataxia and Intrathecal Baclofen for the Treatment of Spasticity and Painful Spasms.
BACKGROUND
Intrathecal baclofen (ITB) treatment is considered a powerful tool in the management of severe spasticity in neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, and traumatic spinal cord and brain injury.


OBJECTIVES
The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the ITB in patients with inherited ataxia suffering from severe painful spasms and/or spasticity.


METHOD
A total of 5 patients with spinocerebellar ataxia 3 or 7 or Friedreich's ataxia were included in this observational multicenter study. The patients were interviewed and completed outcome measures assessing pain (The Brief Pain Inventory), fatigue (Fatigue Severity Scale), and life satisfaction (LiSAT-9) before and 1 year after the treatment. Spasticity (Modified Ashworth Scale) and spasm frequency (SPFS) were measured objectively for each patient.


RESULTS
The mean treatment time was 1.9 years. Evaluation of established standard forms revealed symptomatic relief from spasticity, spasms, pain, and fatigue in addition to improved body posture, sleep, and life satisfaction after ITB treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
We report the potential beneficial effects of ITB treatment in patients with inherited ataxia who also suffer from spasticity/spasms. ITB treatment indication in neurological disorders allows for extension to the treatment of spasticity/ spasms in patients with hereditary ataxia.
['Berntsson|Shala G|SG|', 'Gauffin|Helena|H|', 'Melberg|Atle|A|', 'Holtz|Anders|A|', 'Landtblom|Anne Marie|AM|']
D000328:Adult D000368:Aged D001418:Baclofen D005260:Female D005621:Friedreich Ataxia D006801:Humans D007278:Injections, Spinal D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D009125:Muscle Relaxants, Central D009128:Muscle Spasticity D010146:Pain D010147:Pain Measurement D020754:Spinocerebellar Ataxias D016896:Treatment Outcome
Inherited ataxia Spasticity Pain Spasms Intrathecal baclofen treatment