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Longitudinal change in muscle and fat thickness in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy
Author(s) -
OHATA KOJI,
TSUBOYAMA TADAO,
HARUTA TAISHI,
ICHIHASHI NORIAKI,
NAKAMURA TAKASHI
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
developmental medicine and child neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.658
H-Index - 143
eISSN - 1469-8749
pISSN - 0012-1622
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8749.2009.03342.x
Subject(s) - cerebral palsy , medicine , physical medicine and rehabilitation , longitudinal study , physical therapy , psychology , pediatrics , pathology
Aim In a prospective, longitudinal study, we investigated the influence of the severity of motor impairment on changes in body characteristics in children with moderate‐to‐severe cerebral palsy (CP). Method Twenty‐six single children and adolescents (15 females, 11 males; mean age 10y 6mo, SD 3y 3mo) with spastic (quadriplegia, hemiplegia, or diplegia), athetotic, or hypotonic CP at Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels III to V participated. They were categorized into moderate (GMFCS levels III or IV, n =11) and severe (GMFCS level V, n =15) groups. Muscle thickness of the quadriceps femoris (MTQ) and fat thickness of the anterior thigh (FTA) measured using ultrasound images, together with weight and height, were obtained at annual measurements over 3 years. Results Significant increases in all variables were found in both groups. The areas under the curve (AUCs: an index of the gain) for weight, MTQ, and FTA were significantly higher in the moderate group. The AUC for weight, adjusted for height, was significantly correlated with the AUC for MTQ in the moderate group, and with the AUC for FTA in the severe group. Interpretation Weight gain in children with severe CP does not necessarily reflect muscle growth.