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A. Leland Albright, MD; Alice Cervi, LPT; Jane Singletary, OT

JAMA. 1991;265(11):1418-1422.

Abstract
Seventeen patients with congenital spastic cerebral palsy and six patients with other forms of spasticity were injected intrathecally with doses of placebo or baclofen, 25 µg, 50 µg, or 100 µg, in a randomized, double-blind manner. Muscle tone in the upper and lower extremities was assessed by Ashworth scores both before the injections and every 2 hours afterward for 8 hours. Function of the upper extremities was evaluated before the injections and 4 hours afterward. Muscle tone in the lower extremities was significantly decreased within 2 hours after baclofen injection and remained lower than baseline 8 hours afterward. Upper extremity tone and function were not significantly affected by these single doses. Confusion and drowsiness occurred in two of the youngest children in the study after the 50-µg dose, but cleared within 2 hours. Our findings indicate that intrathecal baclofen reduces spasticity in children with cerebral palsy, as it does in adults with spasticity of spinal origin.

(JAMA. 1991;265:1418-1422)

Author Affiliations
From the Department of Neurosurgery, University of Pittsburgh (Pa) School of Medicine (Dr Albright), and the Departments of Neurosurgery (Dr Albright) and Physical (Ms Cervi) and Occupational (Ms Singletary) Therapy, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.

Footnotes
Reprint requests to Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, One Children's Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (Dr Albright).

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