Abstract
Objective
Data Sources
Study Selection
Data Extraction
Data Synthesis
Conclusions
Keywords
List of abbreviations:
ADL (activities of daily living), AIS (American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale), GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), MAS (Modified Ashworth Scale), mMRC (modified Medical Research Council), SCI (spinal cord injury)Modified Ashworth Scale | Penn Spasm Frequency Scale |
---|---|
0: No increase in muscle tone | 0: No spasms |
1: Slight increase in muscle tone, manifested by a catch or by minimal resistance at the end of the ROM when the affected part(s) is moved in flexion or extension | 1: Mild spasms induced by stimulation |
1+: Slight increase in muscle tone, manifested by a catch followed by minimal resistance throughout the remainder (less than half) of the ROM | 2: Full spasms occurring less than once per hour |
2: More marked increase in tone through most of the ROM, but affected part(s) easily moved | 3: Spasms occurring more than once per hour |
3: Considerable increase muscle in tone; passive movement difficult | 4: Spasms occurring more than 10 times/h |
4: Affected part(s) rigid in flexion or extension |
Methods
Data extraction

Participants, intervention, comparison, outcomes, study designs outline
Search criteria
Risk of bias evaluation
Exclusion criteria
Data evaluation
Results

Dosing
Oral baclofen dosing

Intrathecal baclofen dosing
Efficacy
Changes in MAS

Change in Penn Spasm Frequency score
Efficacy outcomes from studies examining multiple pathologies
Function
Improvements in walking
Improvements in ADL and ease of caregiving
Adverse events

Randomized controlled trials
Intrathecal baclofen trials
Oral baclofen trials
Discussion
Rehab measure: Ashworth Scale/Modified Ashworth Scale. Available at: https://www.sralab.org/rehabilitation-measures/ashworth-scale-modified-ashworth-scale. Accessed August 2021.
Pharmacologic alternatives
Nonpharmacologic alternatives
Hsieh JTC, Wolfe DL, McIntyre A, et al. Spasticity following spinal cord injury. 2012. Available at: https://scireproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/spasticity_V7.pdf. Accessed August 25, 2022.
Study limitations
Conclusions
Appendix. Supplementary materials
References
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Article info
Publication history
Footnotes
Disclosures: none