Use of clonidine for treatment of spasticity arising from various forms of brain injury: a case series.

Spasticity may occurs as a result of different types of brain injury. The experience with six patients, aged 17-73 years, treated with clonidine for spasticity due to brain injuries of various causes is presented. These cases include a patient with traumatic brain injury, three patients with intracranial haemorrhage, a patient with a right basal ganglia stroke 3 years prior to a left subdural haematoma associated with a fall, and a patient with cerebral palsy. To varying degrees for each patient, clonidine was effective in reducing extremity hypertonicity. A possible mechanism of action is discussed. These case findings suggest clonidine may be useful in the management of spasticity associated with various forms of brain injury, and that formal studies of clonidine for this application appear warranted.