title: Adipose tissue infiltration of skeletal muscle in children with cerebral palsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether children with quadriplegic cerebral palsy (QCP) have a greater adipose tissue (AT) infiltration of skeletal muscle than typically developing children (12/group and 5-14 years).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional area (CSA) of AT and muscle in the midthigh were assessed with magnetic resonance imaging. Physical activity was assessed with an activity monitor.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children with QCP had 2.3-fold higher intermuscular AT CSA and 51% lower muscle CSA in the midthigh than control subjects. Midthigh intermuscular, subfascial, and subcutaneous AT CSA adjusted for midthigh muscle CSA were higher in children with QCP (all P < .05). Moreover, the proportion of intermuscular AT CSA and subfascial AT CSA relative to subcutaneous AT CSA in the midthigh were 2.5-fold and 1.8-fold higher in children with QCP than control subjects (all P < .05). Children with QCP also had 70% fewer physical activity counts, which was inversely related to intermuscular AT CSA (r = -0.76) and subfascial AT CSA (r = -0.63) adjusted for muscle CSA in the midthigh of children with QCP (both P < 0.05), but not in control subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children with QCP have a greater AT infiltration of skeletal muscle than typically developing children, which is related to their low level of physical activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health, Nutrition and Exercise Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA.
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Freeman
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Pravesh
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Subramanian
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Modlesky
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000473:pathology*; D000293:Adolescent; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology*; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000473:pathology; D013848:Thigh