The study of the efficacy of Botulinum toxin type A in patients with poststroke upper-limb spasticity ULIS-II: an analysis of Russian patients

Abstract

To assess the efficacy of Botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) injections in routine practice. An international, post-marketing, multi-center, observational, prospective, longitudinal study included patients ≥18 years with poststroke upper-limb spasticity in whom a decision to inject BoNT-A had already been made, and who had no previous treatment with BoNT-A or BoNT-B within the last 12 weeks. The responder rate was assessed by the patient-centered goal attainment scaling (GAS). The study included 7Russian research centers (41 patients). Sixteen patients (39%) received BoNT-A injections prior to entering the study. During the treatment, 29 patients (70.7%) received dysport injections; 2 (4.9%) botox injections, 8 (19.5%) xeomin injections and 2 (4.9%) other BoNT-A agents. The primary treatment goals were successfully attained in 87.8%, secondary treatment goals in 88.3%. An improvement in passive function as primary goal and as secondary goal were achieved in 100%, in the range of movement in 94.9%, pain reduction in 82.4%, improvement in active function of the upper limb in 76.5%, reduction in involuntary movements (associated reactions) in 83.3% of cases. Investigators' global assessment of benefits revealed that 97.6% of patients showed positive effects from BoNT-A injections. Pateitnts' assessment of global benefits was slightly lower - 90,2% of patients reported positive treatment effects When assessed by patients, the rate of global benefits was 90.2%. Botulinum-toxin therapy is an effective treatment option. In the vast majority of patients, it allows both for reduction in muscle tone and functional benefits that could improve quality of life of the patients.