Dalfampridine in hereditary spastic paraplegia: a prospective, open study

J Neurol. 2015 May;262(5):1285-8. doi: 10.1007/s00415-015-7707-6. Epub 2015 Mar 26.

Abstract

Our aim was to support the use of dalfampridine as a treatment for patients affected with hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP). We performed a prospective, uncontrolled, proof of concept, open trial. We included 12 HSP patients defining the total group (TG) who received dalfampridine 10 mg twice daily for 2 weeks. Efficacy assessment was based on walking ability improvement. The Timed-25-Foot Walk Test, the Spastic Paraplegia Rating Scale (SPRS), and the 12-item Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale (MSWS-12) were performed before and after treatment. Safety assessment was based on adverse events occurrence. A significant improvement in SPRS (p = 0.0195) and MSWS-12 (p = 0.0429) was noted after treatment in the TG. No serious adverse events were noted. This interventional study provides encouraging results supporting the use of dalfampridine in HSP.

MeSH terms

  • 4-Aminopyridine / therapeutic use*
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Alkaloids
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Potassium Channel Blockers / therapeutic use*
  • Prospective Studies
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Spastic Paraplegia, Hereditary / drug therapy*
  • Spastic Paraplegia, Hereditary / physiopathology
  • Walking / physiology

Substances

  • Alkaloids
  • Potassium Channel Blockers
  • Wilcox compound
  • 4-Aminopyridine