Oral Baclofen Withdrawal Resulting in Hyperactive Delirium: A Case Report

Baclofen is used in the treatment of muscle spasms by acting as an agonist GABA_B receptors. Limited case reports describing baclofen withdrawal-induced delirium have largely been demonstrated to occur upon cessation of intrathecal baclofen administration. Fewer reports have characterized the presentation from oral baclofen withdrawal. We describe a case of a patient, MM, who presented with hyperactive delirium with various, associated, behavioral, perceptual, cognitive, and movement disturbances following abrupt withdrawal of oral baclofen. Symptomatic management of occurring during the withdrawal state with antipsychotics and benzodiazepines has been reported previously. Similarly, MM's perceptual and behavioral disturbances were managed with antipsychotics during her admission. However, addressing the underlying cause by reinstating and slowly tapering off baclofen has also been demonstrated to be an effective, targeted approach.