Intrathecal baclofen associated with improvement of consciousness disorders in spasticity patients.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

Intrathecal baclofen (ITB) pump is a therapeutic option for persistent vegetative state and minimal conscious state patients that have associated spasticity. We investigated whether this treatment modality can affect their level of consciousness.

METHOD:

In this prospective, open label, observational study, we implanted ITB pumps for the treatment of spasticity in eight patients with disorders of consciousness (vegetative state and minimally conscious state) and we followed them with the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised, the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance scale, and the Modified Ashworth spasticity scale. Baclofen dose and complications also were noted.

RESULTS:

The offending pathologies were traumatic brain injury in six, anoxia due to cardiac arrest in one, acute obstructive hydrocephalus in one. Two of the patients showed a marked, persistent improvement that fulfilled the criteria of emergence from minimally conscious state. Two of patients had their ITB pumps prematurely removed because of complications. The ECOG score was 4 for all patients and did not change during the study.

CONCLUSION:

ITB might be associated with a significant improvement in the disorder of consciousness of two patients from a total of six that had a chronic ITB treatment.

• Authors: Konstantinos Margetis, Stefanos I Korfias, Stylianos Gatzonis, Nick Boutos, George Stranjalis, Efstathios Boviatsis, Damianos E Sakas
• Journal: Neuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society (Neuromodulation) Vol. 17 Issue 7 Pg. 699-704: discussion 704 (Oct 2014) ISSN: 1525-1403 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 24350688 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2013 International Neuromodulation Society.

Chemical References

• Muscle Relaxants, Central
• Baclofen

Topics

• Adult
• Baclofen (administration & dosage)
• Consciousness Disorders (drug therapy, etiology)
• Female
• Humans
• Infusion Pumps, Implantable
• Injections, Spinal
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Muscle Relaxants, Central (administration & dosage)
• Muscle Spasticity (complications)
• Observation
• Prospective Studies
• Spinal Cord (drug effects, physiology)
• Young Adult