Pain & Central Nervous System Week via NewsEdge :

2008 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com) -- In this recent study, researchers in the United States conducted a study "To assess the safety and evaluate the effects of repeated treatments with botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) oil functional disability, quality of life (QOL), and Muscle tone of patients With Upper-limb poststroke spasticity, as well its its effect oil caregivers (see also Spasticity). Multicenter, open-label. repeated-dose Study. Thirty-five clinical sites in North America."

"Patients (N=279) With Upper-limb poststroke spasticity at 6 months or more poststroke. Up to 5 intramuscular injections of BTX-A (200-400U) divided divided in the wrist. finger, thumb. and elbow flexors, with at least 200U in the wrist and finger flexors. Retreatment was permitted at 12 weeks or more after the last treatment. Investigators rated disability using the Disability Assessment Scale and muscle tone using the Ashworth Scale. Each patient's health-related QOL wits assessed by using the Stroke Adapted Sickness Impact Profile and the Visual analog scale of the European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions quest ion flat res. Patients treated with BTX-A reported improvements in muscle tone, disability, and ability to function that were statistically significant and clinically meaningful. significant improvements were observed at week 30 and at subsequent time points in QOL in the overall group and file high-dose group. Up to 5 treatments with BTX-A every 12 weeks for up to 56 Weeks in patients with poststroke spasticity was well tolerated and significantly improved muscle tone, lessened disability, and improved patients' QOL," wrote E.P. Elovic and colleagues.

The researchers concluded: "Further research is required to examine the effectiveness of repeated injections of BTX-A in patients with poststroke spasticity."

Elovic and colleagues published their study in Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Repeated treatments with botulinum toxin type a produce sustained decreases in the limitations associated with focal upper-limb poststroke spasticity for caregivers and patients. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2008;89(5):799-806).

For more information, contact E.P. Elovic, 1199 Pleasant Valley Way, W Orange, NJ 07052, USA.

Publisher contact information for the journal Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation is: W B Saunders Co-Elsevier Inc., 1600 John F Kennedy Boulevard, Ste. 1800, Philadelphia, PA 19103-2899, USA.

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