Article

AIM: To investigate the relationships among the Gross Motor Function
Classification System (GMFCS), Manual Ability Classification System (MACS), and
Communication Function Classification System (CFCS) in children with cerebral
palsy (CP). METHOD: Using questionnaires describing each scale, mothers reported
GMFCS, MACS, and CFCS levels in 222 children with CP aged from 2 to 17 years (94
females, 128 males; mean age 8 y, SD 4). Children were referred from pediatric
developmental/behavioral, physiatry, and child neurology clinics, in the USA, for
a case-control study of the etiology of CP. Pairwise relationships among the
three systems were assessed using Spearman's correlation coefficients (r(s) ),
stratifying by age and CP topographical classifications. RESULTS: Correlations
among the three functional assessments were strong or moderate. GMFCS levels were
highly correlated with MACS levels (r(s) = 0.69) and somewhat less so with CFCS
levels (r(s) = 0.47). MACS and CFCS were also moderately correlated (r(s) =
0.54). However, many combinations of functionality were found. Of the 125
possible combinations of the three five-point systems, 62 were found in these
data. INTERPRETATION: Use of all three classification systems provides a more
comprehensive picture of the child's function in daily life than use of any one
alone. This resulting functional profile can inform both clinical and research
purposes.
CI - (c) The Authors. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology (c) 2012 Mac Keith
Press.

Langue : ANGLAIS