Role of gabapentin in spinal muscular atrophy: results of a multicenter, randomized Italian study.

• Abstract: Recent studies suggest that gabapentin has a neuroprotective effect in experimental models of motoneuron disease. We carried out a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial of gabapentin versus no treatment in 120 patients with type II or III spinal muscular atrophy for 12 months. We assessed maximum voluntary isometric contraction with a handheld myometer and calculated an arm megascore (summing elbow flexion, hand grip, and three-point pinch scores), and a leg megascore (summing knee flexion, knee extension, and foot extension scores). Forced vital capacity and timed tasks were also evaluated. Arm megascore improved by at least 30% in 24.6% of treated and 16.9% of untreated patients (relative risk = 1.45; 95% confidence interval = 0.71-2.97). The leg megascore improved by at least 30% in 37.7% of treated and 20.3% of untreated patients (relative risk = 1.85; 95% confidence interval = 1.02-3.37). We conclude that gabapentin produced a significant improvement in leg megascore at 6 months, which was more evident at 12 months, with a trend for improvement in arm megascore at 12 months. The treatment had no effect on forced vital capacity or timed functional tests.
• Authors: Luciano Merlini, Alessandra Solari, Giuseppe Vita, Enrico Bertini, Carlo Minetti, Tiziana Mongini, Elena Mazzoni, Corrado Angelini, Lucia Morandi (Affiliation: Neuromuscular Unit, Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy.)
• Journal: Journal of child neurology (J Child Neurol) Vol. 18 Issue 8 Pg. 537-41 (Aug 2003) ISSN: 0883-0738 [Print] United States
• PMID: 13677579 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Multicenter Study, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Acetic Acids
• Amines
• Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids
• Neuroprotective Agents
• gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
• gabapentin

Topics

• Acetic Acids (therapeutic use)
• Adolescent
• Adult
• Amines
• Arm
• Child
• Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids
• Female
• Humans
• Isometric Contraction (drug effects)
• Italy
• Leg
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Movement (drug effects)
• Muscle, Skeletal (pathology, physiopathology)
• Neuroprotective Agents (therapeutic use)
• Spinal Muscular Atrophies of Childhood (drug therapy, physiopathology)
• Treatment Outcome
• Vital Capacity
• gamma-Aminobutyric Acid