Biomaterial Database

Dantrolene sodium: long-term effects in patients with muscle spasticity. 1976

R L Joynt

Seventy-seven patients with muscle spasticity secondary to central nervous system pathology were treated with dantrolene sodium for periods of up to two years. The drug was effective in reducing muscle spasms, clonus, muscle tone, and the force of muscle contraction elicited by Achilles tendon tap and tibial nerve stimulation, but improvement of function was seen less often. The incidence of side-effects was considerable, and poses a problem regarding patient acceptance of drug treatment.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D009120	Muscle Cramp	A sustained and usually painful contraction of muscle fibers. This may occur as an isolated phenomenon or as a manifestation of an underlying disease process (e.g., UREMIA; HYPOTHYROIDISM; MOTOR NEURON DISEASE; etc.). (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p1398)	Cramp,Limb Cramp,Muscular Cramp,Cramp, Limb,Cramp, Muscle,Cramp, Muscular,Cramps,Cramps, Limb,Cramps, Muscle,Cramps, Muscular,Limb Cramps,Muscle Cramps,Muscular Cramps
D009128	Muscle Spasticity	A form of muscle hypertonia associated with upper MOTOR NEURON DISEASE. Resistance to passive stretch of a spastic muscle results in minimal initial resistance (a "free interval") followed by an incremental increase in muscle tone. Tone increases in proportion to the velocity of stretch. Spasticity is usually accompanied by HYPERREFLEXIA and variable degrees of MUSCLE WEAKNESS. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p54)	Clasp-Knife Spasticity,Spastic,Clasp Knife Spasticity,Spasticity, Clasp-Knife,Spasticity, Muscle
D009129	Muscle Tonus	The state of activity or tension of a muscle beyond that related to its physical properties, that is, its active resistance to stretch. In skeletal muscle, tonus is dependent upon efferent innervation. (Stedman, 25th ed)	Muscle Tension,Muscle Tightness,Muscular Tension,Tension, Muscle,Tension, Muscular,Tightness, Muscle,Tonus, Muscle
D010919	Placebos	Any dummy medication or treatment. Although placebos originally were medicinal preparations having no specific pharmacological activity against a targeted condition, the concept has been extended to include treatments or procedures, especially those administered to control groups in clinical trials in order to provide baseline measurements for the experimental protocol.	Sham Treatment
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D002986	Clinical Trials as Topic	Works about pre-planned studies of the safety, efficacy, or optimum dosage schedule (if appropriate) of one or more diagnostic, therapeutic, or prophylactic drugs, devices, or techniques selected according to predetermined criteria of eligibility and observed for predefined evidence of favorable and unfavorable effects. This concept includes clinical trials conducted both in the U.S. and in other countries.	Clinical Trial as Topic
D003620	Dantrolene	Skeletal muscle relaxant that acts by interfering with excitation-contraction coupling in the muscle fiber. It is used in spasticity and other neuromuscular abnormalities. Although the mechanism of action is probably not central, dantrolene is usually grouped with the central muscle relaxants.	Dantrium,Dantrolene Sodium,Sodium, Dantrolene
D004341	Drug Evaluation	Any process by which toxicity, metabolism, absorption, elimination, preferred route of administration, safe dosage range, etc., for a drug or group of drugs is determined through clinical assessment in humans or veterinary animals.	Evaluation Studies, Drug,Drug Evaluation Studies,Drug Evaluation Study,Drug Evaluations,Evaluation Study, Drug,Evaluation, Drug,Evaluations, Drug,Studies, Drug Evaluation,Study, Drug Evaluation