Utilidad de la tizanidina. Seguimiento de un año en el tratamiento de la espasticidad en la parálisis cerebral infantil / The usefulness of tizanidine. A one-year follow-up of the treatment of spasticity in infantile cerebral palsy

Introducción. La parálisis cerebral infantil ocupa el primerlugar de discapacidad (tipo espástico, 88%). La tizanidina es unimidazólico de acción central y agonista que actúa como α2-adrenérgico.Objetivo. Demostrar clínicamente la efectividad de la tizanidinaen la disminución de la espasticidad. Pacientes y métodos.Por asignación aleatoria en estudio doble ciego, se trataron durante6 meses 10 niños con tizanidina (0,05 mg/kg/día) y 30 con placebo,los cuales posteriormente se unificaron en el grupo de la tizanidina.Las variables dependientes fueron la espasticidad, la escalade Ashworth, la escala del tono postural, los reflejos y las pruebasde funcionamiento hepático. Resultados. La espasticidad y los reflejosfueron sistemáticamente menores en el grupo de la tizanidina, demanera que la espasticidad se redujo en un 78,85% frente al 7,64 %con el placebo (p = 0,0001); en el seguimiento de seis meses de los35 pacientes se redujo un 78,2% (p = 0,0001). La duración de laefectividad de la tizanidina en cuatro pacientes fue de dos meses yéstos nunca regresaron a su valoración basal. No se observaron efectosadversos ni la elevación de enzimas hepáticas. Conclusiones. Latizanidina produce una reducción significativa de la espasticidad enniños, sin efectos adversos y con un alto porcentaje de aceptaciónen las dosis prescritas

Introduction. The cerebral palsy has the first place of physical handicap in children (type spastic, 88%). Tizanidineimidazole derivative is centrally acting as a α2-adrenergic agonist. Aim. To demonstrate clinically the effectiveness oftizanidine in the decrease of the spasticity. Patients and methods. We assigned randomly in a double blind study 10 childrentreated with tizanidine (0.05 mg/kg/day) and 30 with placebo for a 6-month period, after which they were unified in the groupof tizanidine. The dependent variables were spasticity, Ashworth scale, posture tone scale, reflex scale and liver function test.Results. The spasticity and the reflex decreased in the group of tizanidine an 78.85% in comparison with a 7.64% in the groupof placebo (p = 0.0001); in the monitoring of 6 months 35 patients reduced this to 78.2% (p= 0.0001). The duration ofeffectiveness of tizanidine in four patients was two months and they never returned to their appraisal basal. Without reportedadverse effects, the liver function test remains normal. Conclusion. Tizanidine produces a significant reduction of thespasticity in children without adverse effects, having a high percentage of acceptance to the prescribe dose

[The usefulness of tizanidine. A one-year follow-up of the treatment of spasticity in infantile cerebral palsy]. / Utilidad de la tizanidina. Seguimiento de un ano en el tratamiento de la espasticidad en la paralisis cerebral infantil.

INTRODUCTION: The cerebral palsy has the first place of physical handicap in children (type spastic, 88%). Tizanidine imidazole derivative is centrally acting as a a2-adrenergic agonist. AIM: To demonstrate clinically the effectiveness of tizanidine in the decrease of the spasticity. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We assigned randomly in a double blind study 10 children treated with tizanidine (0.05 mg/kg/day) and 30 with placebo for a 6-month period, after which they were unified in the group of tizanidine. The dependent variables were spasticity, Ashworth scale, posture tone scale, reflex scale and liver function test. RESULTS: The spasticity and the reflex decreased in the group of tizanidine an 78.85% in comparison with a 7.64% in the group of placebo (p = 0.0001); in the monitoring of 6 months 35 patients reduced this to 78.2% (p= 0.0001). The duration of effectiveness of tizanidine in four patients was two months and they never returned to their appraisal basal. Without reported adverse effects, the liver function test remains normal. CONCLUSION: Tizanidine produces a significant reduction of the spasticity in children without adverse effects, having a high percentage of acceptance to the prescribe dose.