Article

Very few objective data exist regarding aerobic performance in young
people with cerebral palsy (CP). The characterization of aerobic fitness could
provide baseline and outcome measures for the rehabilitation of young people with
CP. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to provide reference values for
aerobic fitness in a group of children, adolescents, and young adults who had CP
and who were classified at Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS)
level I or II. Data were collected with 10-m shuttle run tests. DESIGN: This
investigation was a cross-sectional observational study conducted between August
2008 and June 2009. METHODS: Reference values were established using data from a
total of 306 children, adolescents, and young adults who had CP, who were 6 to 20
years old, and who were recruited from 26 rehabilitation centers in the
Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, and the United States. A total of
211 participants were classified at GMFCS level I (mean age=12.2 years, SD=3.0),
and 95 were classified at GMFCS level II (mean age=12.4 years, SD=3.2); 181 were
male, and 125 were female. Aerobic fitness was reflected by the level achieved on
the 10-m shuttle run tests. RESULTS: On the basis of a total of 306 assessments
from the 10-m shuttle run tests, 4 reference curves were created. LIMITATIONS:
The limitation of this study is the cross-sectional nature of the design.
CONCLUSIONS: This study provided height-related reference values for aerobic
fitness in children, adolescents, and young adults who had CP, who were 6 to 20
years old, and who were classified at GMFCS level I or II. Generalized additive
models for location, scale, and shape were used to construct centile curves.
These curves are clinically relevant and provide a user-friendly method for the
prediction of aerobic fitness in young people with CP.

Langue : ANGLAIS