Article

AIM: To investigate the spectrum and relationships between gait patterns and
motor function in a population-based cross study of children with unilateral
cerebral palsy (CP). METHOD: Children identified with unilateral CP born in
Victoria, Australia, from 1990 to 1992 were eligible to participate.
Characteristics were reported using the Winters, Gage, and Hicks (WGH)
classification for gait patterns, the Gross Motor Function Classification System
(GMFCS) and Functional Mobility Scale (FMS) for gross motor function, and Manual
Ability Classification System (MACS) and House classification for upper-limb
function. RESULTS: A recruitment rate of 71% was achieved (42 males, 27 females;
mean age 11 y 4 mo, SD 2 y 4 mo). Children were classified in levels I and II of
the GMFCS and levels I, II, and III of the MACS whereas there was a greater range
of scores using the FMS and House classification. The association was moderate
between categorizations of lower-limb and upper-limb involvement (Kendall's
tau(b) =0.46-0.47, p < 0.001), accounting for around 21% of the explained
variance. The proportions of gait-pattern groups in the current cohort were
rather similar to the original WGH cohort (chi(2) =7.07, degrees of freedom
[df]=3, p = 0.070). INTERPRETATION: Unilateral CP embraces a wide spectrum of
clinical phenotypes. There were only moderate associations between
categorizations of upper- and lower-limb function, supporting the need for
separate classification systems of upper- and lower-limb functioning in this
diverse group of children.
CI - (c) The Authors. Journal compilation (c) Mac Keith Press 2011.

Langue : ANGLAIS