Bauman William A, Kirshblum Steven C, Morrison Nancy G, Cirnigliaro Christopher M, Zhang Run-Lin, Spungen Ann M
Veterans Affairs Rehabilitation Research and Development Center of Excellence, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 130 West Kingsbridge Road, Bronx, NY 10468, and the Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
J Clin Pharmacol. 2006 Apr;46(4):476-82. doi: 10.1177/0091270006286641.
Patients with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI), a condition associated with reduced physical function, have been reported to have lower plasma insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) levels than able-bodied persons. We evaluated the potential for daily low-dose baclofen administered over several weeks to increase plasma IGF-I levels. Ten healthy male outpatients with chronic SCI were studied prospectively. Patients received escalating doses of baclofen for 4 weeks at each dose level (5, 10, and 20 mg/d). At each dose of baclofen, an increase in the plasma IGF-I was noted; significant increases in plasma IGF-I occurred at 2 weeks after administration of drug at doses of 10 and 20 mg/d, with a subsequent rise to peak levels on baclofen 20 mg/d [baseline, 205+/-74; peak, 218+/-76 (not significant), 239+/-83 (P<.05), 263+/-87 microg/L (P<.05), at baclofen 5, 10, and 20 mg/d, respectively]. In conclusion, low-dose baclofen administration for 4 weeks stimulated the growth hormone-IGF-I axis in persons with SCI, with the potential for beneficial effects on body composition.
