Affiliations: Center for Exceptional Families, Dearborn, MI, USA | Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation,
University of Michigan Hospital, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Note: [] Corresponding author: Margret A. Fox, MS, %RN, Clinical Nurse
Specialist, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of
Michigan Hospital, 325 E. Eisenhower Suite 100, Ann Arbor, MI 48108, USA. Tel.:
+1 734 936 8613; Fax: +1 734 936 6121; E-mail: mafox@med.umich.edu
Abstract: Objective: To identify changes in weight for children receiving
intrathecal baclofen (ITB) therapy for the treatment of spasticity. Design: Retrospective medical chart review. Weights were obtained before and
after ITB pump implantation. Setting: Tertiary care children's hospital. Participants: 52 children < 20 years old at the time of data
collection receiving ITB therapy for the treatment of cerebral origin
spasticity for > 1 year. Measures: Paired t-test compared pre and
post-implantation weights. Analyses of covariance were run to compare
differences in overall weight change as defined by variables of gender, diet,
diagnosis, and ethnicity. Results: A significant change in
pre-implantation weight (M=26.77, SD=11.29) from post-implantation
weight (M=32.11, SD=12.62) was noted. No significant weight change was
noted among variables. Conclusion: Study participants gained an average
of 5.43 kg (SD=4.34) after receiving 1 year of ITB therapy.
Keywords: Intrathecal baclofen pump, weight gain, children, spasticity, cerebral palsy
