A prospective evaluation of the WeeFIM in patients with cerebral palsy undergoing orthopaedic surgery.
OBJECTIVE
Although frequently used in pediatric rehabilitation settings, the WeeFIM has not been tested in surgical pediatric orthopaedic patients.


METHODS
The WeeFIM was administered to patients with surgical cerebral palsy at defined intervals preoperatively and at both 6 and 12 months postoperatively. The age-adjusted change scores from baseline to follow-up were tested both parametrically and nonparametrically.


RESULTS
Four hundred sixty-eight patients had baseline evaluations. There were 161 six-month follow-up assessments and 108 twelve-month follow-up assessments. The baseline WeeFIM was able to separate children with different patterns of cerebral palsy. Hemiplegic patients had higher scores than diplegic and tetraplegic patients. Overall age-adjusted scores were improved at both 6 (mean increase 2.0) and 12 months (mean increase 2.2). The instrument showed significant ceiling effects for diplegic and hemiplegic patients with lower or upper extremity surgery and limited responsiveness for lower extremity surgery in tetraplegic patients. Parametrically, it showed improvements in mobility for both rhizotomy and tetraplegic upper extremity surgery. Nonparametric tests were not significant for rhizotomy mobility improvement.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the WeeFIM adequately reflects the severity of neurological involvement in pediatric orthopaedic patients with cerebral palsy, it has a significant ceiling effect in diplegic and hemiplegic patients limiting responsiveness and lacks content validity for tetraplegic patients. The instrument may have some use in tetraplegic patients with upper extremity surgery and in rhizotomy patients. We recommend against its general use for orthopaedic surgery in patients with cerebral palsy lower extremity or spine surgery and in hemiplegic patients with upper extremity surgery.
Sanders
James O
JO
Shriners Hospitals for Children, Erie, PA, USA. jsanders@shrinenet.org
McConnell
Sharon L
SL
King
Ron
R
Lanford
Alice
A
Montpetit
Kathleen
K
Gates
Philip
P
Rich
Margaret M
MM
Shepherd
Karin
K
Cupp
Tim
T
Haynes
Richard
R
Bush
Patricia
P
Tahir
Fares
F
Santiago
Julius
J
Lighter
Donald E
DE
Smrcina
Cathy
C
Niederpruem
Mark L
ML
McDonald
Craig
C
Curry
Darryl B
DB
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome