Tizanidine for the treatment of intention myoclonus: a case series.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To evaluate the effectiveness of tizanidine in treating intention myoclonus.

DESIGN:

Case series.

SETTING:

Inpatient rehabilitation center.

PARTICIPANTS:

Three subjects whose activities of daily living were impaired due to intention myoclonus related to mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, stroke, and multiple sclerosis (MS).

INTERVENTION:

Tizanidine.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

Reduction in intention myoclonus and change in score on the FIM instrument.

RESULTS:

The patient with mitochondrial encephalomyopathy had left upper- and lower-extremity intention myoclonus; the patient with stroke had left upper intention myoclonus; and the patient with MS had right upper- and left lower-intention myoclonus. In the patient with mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, the FIM score increased from 90 to 103 points over 2 days of tizanidine. The stroke patient's FIM score improved only from 74 to 79 after 4 weeks of tizanidine. The patient with MS improved from 83 to 101 after 6 days of tizanidine. All 3 patients had almost full resolution of the intention myoclonus. All continued on tizanidine except the patient with stroke, who had minimal gains and a low systolic blood pressure. None of the patients experienced significant sedation or hypotension.

CONCLUSIONS:

Tizanidine may be a safe and effective option for treating intention myoclonus that occurs in a variety of neurologic conditions.

• Authors: Jon A Mukand, Eugene J Giunti
• Journal: Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation (Arch Phys Med Rehabil) Vol. 85 Issue 7 Pg. 1125-7 (Jul 2004) ISSN: 0003-9993 [Print] United States
• PMID: 15241762 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Adrenergic alpha-Agonists
• tizanidine
• Clonidine

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adrenergic alpha-Agonists (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Aged
• Clonidine (administration & dosage, analogs & derivatives, therapeutic use)
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Myoclonus (drug therapy, rehabilitation)