"Electromyographic and Clinical Improvement in a Chronic Spinal Cord Injury Patient Treated with Leuprolide Acetate, a Case Report"

Abstract

Patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) have central and peripheral nervous system damage and they exhibited an abnormal electromyography (EMG) response. Leuprolide acetate (LA) has been reported to induce neural regeneration after SCI in animal models and humans. The aim of this work was to analyze whether electromyography and clinical variables improved with treatment of LA in a patient with SCI. A 38-yearold woman had a car accident and a complete spinal cord section at C6 level was diagnosed. One year after the car accident, EMG and initial clinical evaluations were performed. Six months after these initial evaluations, treatment with LA started and consisted of an intramuscular injection (7.5 mg) each month during six months. At the end of this time, the electromyography and clinical signs were reevaluated. The patient treated with LA showed an increase nerve conduction velocity, encourage of muscle activity and higher muscle strength respect to initial evaluation. In conclusion, LA stimulate the recovery of muscle strength. These results are important because they offer an accessible pharmacological strategy that can improve the quality of life of patients with SCI.