The two-year study, which involved nineteen medical institutions, is the first large trial to show that one-time injections of Botox can improve hand function and muscle tone in post-stroke spasticity.
"This is great news," says Dr. Cindy Ivanhoe, Director of the Brain Injury Program at the Texas Institute for Rehabilitation and Research. "It validates what those of us who treat many patients have known for years. The use of Botox in conjunction with appropriate therapies can enhance the quality of life and function for many patients."
The placebo-controlled study involved 126 patients with some measure of spasticity in the hands. Forty of the 64 participants who received the Botox reported improvement in the area where it was injected, and no adverse side effects were reported. In the group that received placebo, 17 of the 62 patients reported improvement.
"Perhaps now more physicians will refer patients for Botox injections and acknowledge the benefits of those injections," says Ivanhoe. "I hope this study will help convince people that Botox can significantly improve function in patients with spasticity after an injury to their brain."
