The effect of botulinum toxin A on gastrocnemius length : magnitude and duration of response

Eames, NWA, Baker, RJ ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4759-4216, Hill, N, Graham, K, Taylor, T and Cosgrove, A 1999, 'The effect of botulinum toxin A on gastrocnemius length : magnitude and duration of response' , Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 41 (4) , pp. 226-232.

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Abstract

Thirty-nine ambulant children (22 with hemiplegia, 17 with diplegia) with spastic cerebral palsy receiving isolated gastrocnemius muscle injection with botulinum toxin A were studied prospectively. The children had a mean age of 6 years(range 3 to 13 years). Measurement of gastrocnemius muscle length was used to estimate the dynamic component of each child’s spasticity and to quantify the response. There was a strong correlation between the dynamic component of spasticity before injection and the corresponding magnitude of the response after injection. Children undergoing repeated injections showed similar correlations. A strong correlation was found between the duration of response and the dynamic component. Children with hemiplegia showed twice the duration for a given dynamic component compared with those with diplegia when injected with the same total dose per unit body weight. Long-term lengthening did not occur for the cohort, although some patients showed a response at a 12-month follow-up. By delaying shortening, the injections may have a role in delaying the need for surgery. Injections were well tolerated with few side effects.

Item Type:	Article
Themes:	Health and Wellbeing
Schools:	Schools > School of Health Sciences
Journal or Publication Title:	Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology
Publisher:	Wiley
Refereed:	Yes
ISSN:	0012-1622
Depositing User:	RH Shuttleworth
Date Deposited:	07 Jul 2011 10:37
Last Modified:	16 Feb 2022 11:48
URI:	https://usir.salford.ac.uk/id/eprint/16590

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