Botulinum toxin type A (BTA) impact in Rehabilitation - patient perspective in a medium and long term

Abstract

Botulinum toxin type A (BTA) has been used in our institution since 2001 in a growing number of patients, which lead to the creation of a specific spasticity treatment clinic. We have 370 patients up to October 2007, which account for a total of 731 treatment sessions.
We aimed to evaluate the impact of this treatment on the perspective of the patients treated during 2006, and to make a comparative analysis of the results obtained with those of a previous study that we published in 2004. We selected the patients treated in 2006, who had started treatment with BTA for more than 1 year and had had since more than 1 treatment session (n=62). We made a telephone enquiry, consisting of 7 multiple choice questions, and we obtained 54 answers to the hole enquiry. The results were statistically analysed.

We found that spasticity was of cerebral aetiology in 100% of cases , and hemiparesis was the most frequent clinical situation (81,5%). The patients’/carers’ aims were: to reduce spasticity (70,4%), to be able to walk better (50%), and to reduce pain (35,2%). The result was satisfying in 90,8% of cases, the local and regional effects predominated (87%) and side effects were very scarse (5,7%). This treatment was considered very relevant for the rehabilitation process (98,1%), which translated in clear motivation for continuing with the treatment in 96,3% of cases. In comparison with the previous study from 2003, there is a statistically significant difference concerning the aims for starting the treatment, which used to focus more on improving posture and facilitate activities of daily living, apart from controlling spasticity.

BTA continues to be recognized by patients/carers as an effective, safe and very relevant treatment within the rehabilitation process.