Biomedical subjects

John F McLaughlin

Publications and source records attributed to John F McLaughlin.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2004

Hip status in cerebral palsy after one year of continuous intrathecal baclofen infusion.

The purpose of this study was to assess whether reduction of muscle tone by continuous intrathecal baclofen infusion affects the progression of hip subluxation in persons with cerebral palsy. This prospective, open-label, case series was conducted at multiple specialty referral centers. There were 33 subjects, ages 4 to 31 years. All had a pretreatment lower extremity Ashworth score of >/=3; all subjects had a significant reduction in tone after a bolus injection of intrathecal baclofen and received an implanted pump for continuous delivery of intrathecal baclofen. Subjects had hip x-rays before and 1 year after pump implantation. The primary outcome measure was change in absolute hip migration percentage. One third of the hips had an increase of absolute migration percentage of 5% or more; 12% of the hips had a decrease of migration percentage of 5% or more. Change of migration percentage class was used as a second outcome criterion. 90.9% of hips manifested no deterioration or had improvement of their migration percentage class during the year of intrathecal baclofen therapy. The observed changes were not associated with the subject's age or the severity of cerebral palsy.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Oral motor, communication, and nutritional status of children during intrathecal baclofen therapy: a descriptive pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the oral motor, communication, and nutritional status of children receiving intrathecal baclofen (ITB) therapy for spasticity of cerebral origin. DESIGN: Observational cross-sectional design. SETTING: Tertiary-care regional children's hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty children with spasticity of cerebral origin receiving ITB therapy. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: One interviewer administered a structured in-person interview tool designed for this pilot study, data from which were collapsed into 4 change categories: communication and speech, feeding and nutrition, oral motor function, and gastrointestinal function. Functional severity was ranked with the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). RESULTS: Speech: 10 improved (5 in GMFCS level V) and 2 worsened. Use of assistive technology to communicate: 6 improved (5 in GMFCS level V). Appetite: 10 improved (6 in GMFCS level V) and 4 worsened. Self-feeding: 9 improved (2 in GMFCS level III, 4 in level IV, 3 in level V) and 2 worsened. Saliva control: 10 improved (1 in GMFCS level III, 1 in level IV, 8 in level V) and 8 worsened. Cup drinking: 12 improved (5 in GMFCS level V) and 2 worsened. Indicates thirst: 9 improved (4 in GMFCS level IV, 5 in level V) and none worsened. Stool frequency: 8 improved (8 in GMFCS level V) and 14 worsened. CONCLUSIONS: Some aspects of speech, communication, and saliva control seemed to have improved, with bowel movement frequency decreased in some children receiving ITB. Fewer changes in feeding and nutritional status were reported. On the basis of this pilot study, prospective management guidelines are proposed that relate objective outcome measures of oral motor function, communication, and nutrition to changes in spasticity with ITB.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Long-term intrathecal baclofen therapy for severe spasticity of cerebral origin.

OBJECT: The goal of this study was to ascertain the long-term effectiveness and safety of intrathecal baclofen (ITB) in the treatment of spasticity of cerebral origin in children and young adults. METHODS: A prospective, multicenter study was conducted in 68 patients who had been enrolled in the initial evaluation of ITB therapy and were willing to participate in long-term surveillance. Seventy-three percent of the patients were younger than 16 years of age at the time of study entry. The patients were examined at least every 3 months and were observed for an average of 70 months. At each follow-up visit, spasticity in the upper and lower extremities was evaluated by applying Ashworth scores. All adverse events and complications were recorded on standardized data forms. Spasticity in both upper and lower extremities decreased significantly (p < 0.005) and remained decreased up to 10 years. The dosage of ITB increased from a mean of 157 microg/day 3 months after pump insertion to 300 microg/day at 2 years postimplantation, and remained relatively stable thereafter. There were no significant differences in ITB dosage in children of different ages. Adverse events potentially related to ITB therapy occurred in 50% of patients within 2 months after pump insertion and in 50% of patients thereafter; hypotonia and lethargy were the two most common adverse events. The most common complications of surgery were catheter-related problems (31%), seromas (24%), and cerebrospinal fluid leaks (15%). CONCLUSIONS: Intrathecal baclofen provides effective long-term treatment of spasticity of cerebral origin and its effects do not appear to diminish with time. This therapy is frequently associated with adverse side effects that usually can be alleviated by adjustments in dosage.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

Climate change hastens population extinctions.

Climate change is expected to alter the distribution and abundance of many species. Predictions of climate-induced population extinctions are supported by geographic range shifts that correspond to climatic warming, but few extinctions have been linked mechanistically to climate change. Here we show that extinctions of two populations of a checkerspot butterfly were hastened by increasing variability in precipitation, a phenomenon predicted by global climate models. We model checkerspot populations to show that changes in precipitation amplified population fluctuations, leading to rapid extinctions. As populations of checkerspots and other species become further isolated by habitat loss, climate change is likely to cause more extinctions, threatening both species diversity and critical ecosystem services.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Long-term safety and efficacy of continuous intrathecal baclofen.

Long-term continuous intrathecal baclofen (CITB) infusion is a treatment option used to manage otherwise intractable spasticity and is delivered via an implantable pump. The purpose of this single-center multidisciplinary review was to report on the long-term safety and efficacy of CITB in the treatment of 21 children with intractable severe spasticity of cerebral origin. Nineteen recipients had spastic quadriplegia and two had spastic diplegia. Seven recipients had level IV severity on the Gross Motor Functional Classification System and 14 had level V. Median age at implantation was 12 years (range 4 to 20). Fifteen recipients were male, 6 were female. Seventeen recipients were alive at the end of the follow-up period (31 to 78 months; mean 53, SD 4). The Ashworth scale showed a substantial decrease in spasticity in the upper and lower extremities at 6 months and at the most recent follow-up. The Gross Motor Function Measure and Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory showed no functional change. Most treatment goals were at least partly achieved. Caregivers reported a reduction in use of oral medication for spasticity, and improvements in comfort, function, and ease of care. Caregiver satisfaction was high. During 80 recipient-years of pump operation, 153 treatment-associated adverse events occurred: 27 of these were device-related. There were four deaths unrelated to CITE, including one from acute pancreatitis. Our findings might assist in establishing patient selection criteria and treatment goals, improving patient follow-up, and monitoring adverse events.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Lower extremity sensory function in children with cerebral palsy.

OBJECTIVES: (1) To determine the feasibility of qualitative sensory testing in the lower extremities (LE) of children with cerebral palsy (CP), especially spastic diplegia. (2) To determine if there is a detectable difference in qualitative LE sensory function in children with CP compared to typical children. (3) To determine if dorsal rhizotomy results in detectable changes in LE sensory function in children with spastic diplegia. DESIGN: Objectives 1 and 2: Prospective observational cohort study. Objective 3: Add-on to prospective interventional studies. SETTING: Regional tertiary children's hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Objectives 1 and 2: 62 children with CP and 65 typical children between 3-18 years of age. Objective 3: 34 children with spastic diplegia. INTERVENTIONS: Objectives 1 and 2: None. Objective 3: Dorsal rhizotomy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Pain, light touch, direction of scratch, vibration, toe position and knee position using standard qualitative techniques. RESULTS: Objective 1: 32 (52%) children with CP and 55 (85%) typical children completed all items (p = 0.09). Objective 2: Summary scores for separate LE sensory modalities were lower in children with CP for direction of scratch (p < 0.001), toe position (p = 0.01) and vibration sense (p = 0.01). Objective 3: No changes of LE sensory function. CONCLUSIONS: LE sensory testing in young children with CP is feasible. There is a qualitative sensory deficit in this sample of children with CP and specifically in children with spastic diplegia that is traditionally associated with dorsal column sensory modalities. A conservative dorsal rhizotomy does not produce a measurable change in LE sensory function in this sample of children with spastic diplegia.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

GMFM 1 year after continuous intrathecal baclofen infusion.

The purpose of this study was to assess whether there is an improvement in motor function in persons with cerebral palsy (CP) who have had a reduction of muscle tone by continuous intrathecal baclofen infusion. This was a prospective, open label, non-blinded case series without a control group, conducted at multiple centres. There were 31 subjects, aged 4-29 years. All had a pre-treatment mean lower extremity Ashworth scores of >or= 3 and a significant reduction in tone after a bolus injection of intrathecal baclofen (ITB) and received an implanted pump for continuous delivery of ITB. Motor function was assessed by the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) prior to and 1 year following pump implantation. Significant improvement (p < 0.05) in mean GMFM scores was seen in subjects < 8 years (mean change 4.1) and in those from 8-18 years (mean change 3.7) and in subjects with CP Classes 2 and 5 (mean changes 6.2 and 2.9). There was a statistically significant decrease (p < 0.05) in Ashworth scores in CP classes 2-5. Subjects or their caregivers that completed a survey about perceived changes stated that motor control, positioning and endurance improved.

Adolescent↗