Nigar Dursun, Melike Akarsu, Tugba Gokbel, Merve Akyuz, Cagla Karacan, Erbil Dursun
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kocaeli University School of Medicine, 41320 Kocaeli, Turkey. E-mail: nigard@hotmail.com
DOI: 10.2340/16501977-2550

Objectives: To determine whether switching from onabotulinumtoxinA to abobotulinumtoxinA in children with cerebral palsy is safe and whether therapeutic efficacy is maintained.
Methods: This retrospective observational study of routine care included 118 children with cerebral palsy (mean age 81. 4 months (standard deviation; SD 38. 9)) who had switched from onabotulinumtoxinA to abobotulinumtoxinA injections into their lower extremities due to a change in hospital policy. Analysis was limited to the final onabotulinumtoxinA treatment-cycle prior to switch, and the first abobotulinumtoxinA treatment-cycle following switch. The primary objective was to document the safety and tolerability of switching products. Efficacy endpoints included muscle tone, spasticity, and gait function based on Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), Tardieu Scale (TS) and Observational Gait Scale (OGS) scores.
Results: Treatment-emergent adverse events were recorded in 41 (34. 7%) and 31 (26. 3%) patients during the onabotulinumtoxinA and abobotulinumtoxinA treatment cycles, respectively. Treatment-related adverse events were reported in 5 patients in the onabotulinumtoxinA treatment-cycle vs 7 in the abobotulinumtoxinA treatment-cycle (p?=?0. 774). Treatment efficacy (4–6 weeks post-treatment) was similar in the onabotulinumtoxinA and abobotulinumtoxinA treatment-cycles for all variables (MAS, TS, OGS).
Conclusion: In children with cerebral palsy, switching from onabotulinumtoxinA to abobotulinumtoxinA is safe and generally well-tolerated and therapeutic efficacy is maintained.

In the absence of head-to-head clinical trials, a retrospective observational study of 118 children with cerebral palsy who had switched botulinum toxin formulation (from onabotulinumtoxinA to abobotulinumtoxinA) due to a change in hospital policy was performed. The safety and tolerability profile of both formulations were similar. Likewise, the efficacy of treatment (measured 4–6 weeks post-injection) was found to be similar for all clinical measures assessed. This study indicates that switching from onabotulinumtoxinA to abobotulinumtoxinA is generally well-tolerated and therapeutic efficacy is maintained.

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