Clinical Trial: Effects of Botulinum Toxin Injections in Patients With Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia

Study Status: Active, not recruiting
Recruit Status: Active, not recruiting
Study Type: Interventional




Official Title: Botulinum Toxin in Patients With Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia: a Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Crossover Study

Brief Summary:

Hereditary spastic paraplegias constitute a heterogeneous group of diseases with the common predominant feature of spasticity of the lower limbs. The clinical picture is composed of difficulty walking, exaggerated deep reflexes, pathological reflexes such as the Babinski sign, sphincter disturbances and various degrees of weakness as well as sensory disturbances.

Spasticity is the symptom that provoques greater incapacity. Although there have been recent advances in the genetic and pathogenic characterization of SPG there is scarcity of therapeutic options. The Botulinum Toxin (BTx) is a well established treatment for movement disorders such as cervical dystonia, blepharospasm, and arm spastic following stroke.

Therefore, the investigators propose the execution of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study to evaluate the efficacy of the treatment with Btx over SPG patient's gait. The primary outcome measure will be gait velocity with the 10 meter walking test 8 weeks after injection. Each participant will be submitted to one injection session of Btx and one of placebo (consisting of sterile sodium chloride), each one separated by a period of 6 months. The primary and secondary outcomes will be evaluated by a blind investigator 8 weeks after each injection session.