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The development of spasticity with age in 4,162 children with cerebral palsy: a register-based prospective cohort study.

ABSTRACT: Background and purpose - Spasticity is often regarded as a major cause of functional limitation in children with cerebral palsy (CP). We analyzed the spasticity development with age in the gastrosoleus muscle in children with CP. Children and methods - This is a longitudinal cohort study of 4,162 children (57% boys) with CP born in 1990-2015, monitored using standardized follow-up examinations in the Swedish surveillance program for CP. The study is based on 57,953 measurements of spasticity of the gastrosoleus muscle assessed using the Ashworth scale (AS) in participants between 0 and 15 years of age. The spasticity was analyzed in relation to age, sex, and Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels using a linear mixed model. Development of spasticity with age was modeled as a linear spline. Results - The degree of spasticity increased in most children over the first 5 years of life. At 5 years of age, 38% had an AS level of ? 2. The spasticity then decreased for 65% of the children during the remaining study period. At 15 years of age only 22% had AS ? 2. The level of spasticity and the rate of increase and decrease before and after 5.5 years of age were higher in children at GMFCS IV-V. Interpretation - The degree of spasticity of the gastrosoleus muscle often decreases after 5 years of age, which is important for long-term treatment planning and should be considered in spasticity management.

SUBMITTER: Linden O

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6534199 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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The development of spasticity with age in 4,162 children with cerebral palsy: a register-based prospective cohort study.

Lindén Olof O Hägglund Gunnar G Rodby-Bousquet Elisabet E Wagner Philippe P

Acta orthopaedica 20190325 3

Background and purpose - Spasticity is often regarded as a major cause of functional limitation in children with cerebral palsy (CP). We analyzed the spasticity development with age in the gastrosoleus muscle in children with CP. Children and methods - This is a longitudinal cohort study of 4,162 children (57% boys) with CP born in 1990-2015, monitored using standardized follow-up examinations in the Swedish surveillance program for CP. The study is based on 57,953 measurements of spasticity of ...[more]

PMID: 30907682

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Project description:ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to assess the rehabilitation status and factors associated with rehabilitation service utilisation among children with cerebral palsy (CP) in Bangladesh.Materials and methodsThis is a population-based surveillance study conducted among children with CP registered in the Bangladesh CP Register (BCPR), the first population-based register of children with CP aged <18 years (y) in Bangladesh. Children with CP were identified from the community using the key informant method and underwent a detailed neurodevelopmental assessment. Socio-demographic, clinical and rehabilitation status were documented. Unadjusted and adjusted analyses with a 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to identify potential predictors of rehabilitation service uptake.ResultsBetween January 2015 and December 2019, 2852 children with CP were registered in the BCPR (mean (standard deviation, SD) age: 7 y 8 months (mo) (4 y 7 mo), 38.5% female). Of these, 50.2% had received rehabilitation services; physiotherapy was the most common type of service (90.0%). The mean (SD) age at commencement of rehabilitation services was 3 y 10 mo (3 y 1 mo). The odds of not receiving rehabilitation was significantly higher among female children (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.3 [95% CI: 1.0-1.7], children whose mothers were illiterate and primary level completed (aOR 2.1 [95% CI: 1.4-3.1] and aOR 1.5 [95% CI: 1.1-2.1], respectively), fathers were illiterate (aOR 1.9 [95% CI: 1.3-2.8]), had a monthly family income ~US$ 59-118 (aOR: 1.8 [95% CI: 1.2-2.6]), had hearing impairment (aOR: 2.3 [95% CI: 1.5-3.5]) and motor severity (i.e. Gross Motor Function Classification System level III (aOR: 0.6 [95% CI: 0.3-0.9]) and level V (aOR: 0.4 [95% CI: 0.2-0.7])).ConclusionsRehabilitation status was poor among the majority of the children with CP in the BCPR cohort, limiting their opportunities for functional improvement. A community-based rehabilitation model focusing on socio-demographic and clinical characteristics should be a public health priority in Bangladesh.

Project description:AimDespite the impact of spasticity, there is a lack of objective, clinically reliable and valid tools for its assessment. This study aims to evaluate the reliability of various performance- and spasticity-related parameters collected with a manually controlled instrumented spasticity assessment in four lower limb muscles in children with cerebral palsy (CP).MethodThe lateral gastrocnemius, medial hamstrings, rectus femoris and hip adductors of 12 children with spastic CP (12.8 years, ±4.13 years, bilateral/unilateral involvement n=7/5) were passively stretched in the sagittal plane at incremental velocities. Muscle activity, joint motion, and torque were synchronously recorded using electromyography, inertial sensors, and a force/torque load-cell. Reliability was assessed on three levels: (1) intra- and (2) inter-rater within session, and (3) intra-rater between session.ResultsParameters were found to be reliable in all three analyses, with 90% containing intra-class correlation coefficients >0.6, and 70% of standard error of measurement values <20% of the mean values. The most reliable analysis was intra-rater within session, followed by intra-rater between session, and then inter-rater within session. The Adds evaluation had a slightly lower level of reliability than that of the other muscles.ConclusionsLimited intrinsic/extrinsic errors were introduced by repeated stretch repetitions. The parameters were more reliable when the same rater, rather than different raters performed the evaluation. Standardisation and training should be further improved to reduce extrinsic error when different raters perform the measurement. Errors were also muscle specific, or related to the measurement set-up. They need to be accounted for, in particular when assessing pre-post interventions or longitudinal follow-up. The parameters of the instrumented spasticity assessment demonstrate a wide range of applications for both research and clinical environments in the quantification of spasticity.

Project description:Muscle spasticity is characterized by exaggerated stretch reflexes and affects about 85% of the children with cerebral palsy. However, the mechanisms underlying spasticity and its influence on gait are not well understood. Here, we first aimed to model the response of spastic hamstrings and gastrocnemii in children with cerebral palsy to fast passive stretches. Then, we evaluated how the model applied to gait. We developed three models based on exaggerated proprioceptive feedback. The first model relied on feedback from muscle fiber length and velocity (velocity-related model), the second model relied on feedback from muscle fiber length, velocity, and acceleration (acceleration-related model), and the third model relied on feedback from muscle force and its first time derivative (force-related model). The force-related model better reproduced measured hamstrings and gastrocnemii activity during fast passive stretches (coefficients of determination (R2): 0.73 ± 0.10 and 0.60 ± 0.13, respectively, and root mean square errors (RMSE): 0.034 ± 0.031 and 0.009 ± 0.007, respectively) than the velocity-related model (R2: 0.46 ± 0.15 and 0.07 ± 0.13, and RMSE: 0.053 ± 0.051 and 0.015 ± 0.009), and the acceleration-related model (R2: 0.47 ± 0.15 and 0.09 ± 0.14, and RMSE: 0.052 ± 0.050 and 0.015 ± 0.008). Additionally, the force-related model predicted hamstrings and gastrocnemii activity that better correlated with measured activity during gait (cross correlations: 0.82 ± 0.09 and 0.85 ± 0.06, respectively) than the activity predicted by the velocity-related model (cross correlations: 0.49 ± 0.17 and 0.71 ± 0.22) and the acceleration-related model (cross correlations: 0.51 ± 0.16 and 0.67 ± 0.20). Our results therefore suggest that force encoding in muscle spindles in combination with altered feedback gains and thresholds underlie activity of spastic muscles during passive stretches and gait. Our model of spasticity opens new perspectives for studying movement impairments due to spasticity through simulation.

Project description:BackgroundCerebral Visual Impairment (CVI) is a very common finding in children affected by Cerebral Palsy (CP). In this paper we studied the characteristics of CVI of a large group of children with CP and CVI, describing their neurovisual profiles according to three different age subgroups (subgroup 1: infants 6 months-2 years; subgroup 2: pre-school age 3-5 years; subgroup 3: school age ≥ 6 years).MethodsWe enrolled 180 subjects (104 males, mean age 66 ± 42.6 months; range 6-192 months) with CP and CVI for the study. We carried out a demographic and clinical data collection, neurological examination, developmental or cognitive assessment, and a video-recorded visual function assessment including an evaluation of ophthalmological characteristics, oculomotor functions, and basic visual functions. In school-aged children, we also performed an evaluation of their cognitive-visual profiles.ResultsThere were signs of CVI in all the three subgroups. Subgroup 1 (62 children) and subgroup 2 (50 children) were different for fixation (p = 0.02), visual acuity (p = 0.03) and contrast sensitivity (p < 0.01), being more frequently impaired in younger children. Comparing subgroup 2 with subgroup 3 (68 children), the older children presented more frequently myopia (p = 0.02) while the younger ones esotropia (p = 0.02) and alteration in smooth pursuit (p = 0.03) and saccades (p < 0.01). Furthermore, fixation, smooth pursuit, visual acuity, contrast sensitivity and visual filed (p < 0.01) were more frequently impaired in younger children (subgroup 1) compared to the older ones. Multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) confirmed the different neurovisual profiles according to age: younger children with CP showed more signs of CVI compared to the older ones. 34 out of 68 children belonging to subgroup 3 underwent the cognitive visual evaluation; an impairment of cognitive visual skills was detected in 21 subjects.ConclusionYounger children with CP showed more signs of CVI compared to the older ones, likely for the physiological maturation of visual system and mechanisms of neuroplasticity. In this direction, we suggest an early neurovisual evaluation to detect any weak visual functions.

Project description:AimTo assess the efficacy and safety of repeat abobotulinumtoxinA injections in reducing upper limb spasticity in children with cerebral palsy (CP).MethodThis was a double-blind, repeat-cycle study (NCT02106351) in children with CP (2-17y). Children were randomized to receive 2U/kg (control), 8U/kg, or 16U/kg abobotulinumtoxinA injections into the target muscle group (wrist or elbow flexors) and additional muscles alongside occupational therapy via a home-exercise therapy program (HETP; minimum five 15min sessions/wk). Children received 8U/kg or 16U/kg plus HETP in cycles 2 to 4.ResultsDuring cycle 1, 210 children (126 males, 84 females; mean age [SD] 9y [4y 5mo], range 2-17y; n=70/group) had at least one upper limb abobotulinumtoxinA injection and 209 complied with the HETP. At week 6 of cycle 1, children in the 8U/kg or 16U/kg groups had significantly lower Modified Ashworth scale scores versus the 2U/kg group (primary outcome: treatment differences of -0.4 [p=0.012] and -0.7 [p<0.001] respectively). All groups improved on Physician Global Assessment and children in all groups achieved their treatment goals at least as expected. Therapeutic benefits were sustained during cycles 2 to 4; muscular weakness was the only treatment-related adverse event reported in at least one child/group (4.3% and 5.7% vs 1.4% respectively).InterpretationTreatment with 8U/kg or 16U/kg abobotulinumtoxinA significantly reduced upper limb spasticity versus the 2U/kg control dose. Therapeutic benefits of abobotulinumtoxinA plus HETP were sustained with repeat treatment cycles.What this paper addsAbobotulinumtoxinA injections significantly reduced upper limb spasticity in children with cerebral palsy. Children treated with abobotulinumtoxinA and targeted home exercises showed global improvement and goal attainment. Benefits were sustained over 1 year with repeat cycles of abobotulinumtoxinA and home exercises. AbobotulinumtoxinA injections into the upper limb were well tolerated over 1 year.

Dataset Information

The development of spasticity with age in 4,162 children with cerebral palsy: a register-based prospective cohort study.

Publications

The development of spasticity with age in 4,162 children with cerebral palsy: a register-based prospective cohort study.

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