Analysis of the correlation between three methods used in the assessment of children with cerebral palsy.
The primary aim of this study was to assess the correlations between gait analysis, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) scores in children with cerebral palsy (CP). These common diagnostic tools were used to evaluate 21 children affected by CP (mean age: 6 years, range: 5-13 years; 8 females and 13 males; 5 left hemiplegics, 4 right hemiplegics, 12 diplegics). In particular, in order to compare gait analysis data with other diagnostic evaluations, the Normalcy Index (NI) was used. The results showed a good correlation between the NI and the results of MRI, and between NI and the GMFM score (r=-0.76). Therefore, this investigation demonstrated that there exists a strong relationship between gait analysis and other clinical evaluation tools.
Romei
Marianna
M
Department of Bioengineering, Polytechnic of Milan, Italy. romei@biomed.polimi.it
Galli
Manuela
M
Fazzi
Elisa
E
Maraucci
Ilaria
I
Schwartz
Michael
M
Uggetti
Carla
C
Crivellini
Marcello
M
D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007969:Leukomalacia, Periventricular / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric