Baclofen withdrawal can cause a rebound increase in spasticity, which may be associated with hyperthermia as reported in a case of spasticity from craniospinal trauma
Symptoms
We describe a 13-year-old boy with sensory incomplete C1 quadriplegia two years after injury who was on 200mg of baclofen per day for spasticity
Spasticity is the velocity-dependent increase in muscle tone due to the exaggeration of stretch reflex
Practice Essentials
Abrupt discontinuation of baclofen may cause: seizures and hallucinations, high fever, rebound spasticity, muscle rigidity, and; rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown and wasting) Seek medical care or call 911 at once if you have the following serious side effects: Because of the potential for baclofen to cause sedation and constipation, as well as to lower the seizure threshold or exacerbate a known seizure disorder, my first-line intervention in these infants is typically gabapentin, for a few reasons
The main clinical signs are clonus, hyperreflexia and hypertonia, which are part of spastic paresis syndrome
In the study by Sampson et al
The most common side effect of a baclofen pump is increased weakness
Learn more about the causes, diagnosis and treatment of Cerebral Palsy Spasticity in children, infants and adolescents