EFFECT OF TRANSDERMAL CLONIDINE ON SPINAL SPASTICITY - A CASE SERIES

Citation
Sa. Yablon et Ml. Sipski, EFFECT OF TRANSDERMAL CLONIDINE ON SPINAL SPASTICITY - A CASE SERIES, American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitation, 72(3), 1993, pp. 154-157
Citations number
23
Categorie Soggetti
Rehabilitation
ISSN journal
08949115
Volume
72
Issue
3
Year of publication
1993
Pages
154 - 157
Database
ISI
SICI code
0894-9115(1993)72:3<154:EOTCOS>2.0.ZU;2-3
Abstract
Clonidine, a centrally acting alpha2 receptor adrenergic agonist, has been successfully used as adjunctive therapy in patients with spinal c ord injury with problematic spasticity not adequately controlled by re cognized spasmolytic agents. A transdermal system providing approximat ely constant and continuous systemic delivery of clonidine has been re cently introduced to enhance patient compliance. However, experience w ith transdermal clonidine in the management of spasticity is limited. Three cases are presented of patients with spasticity as the result of cervical spinal cord injury, inadequately managed by oral baclofen, i n whom transdermal clonidine was administered. Significant improvement in spastic hypertonia was observed in all three cases. Transdermally delivered clonidine was well tolerated, with reported side effects lim ited to dryness of the mouth.