title: Assessment of gross motor skills and phenotype profile in children 9-11 years of age in survivors of acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of a new gross motor skill test battery in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) children who have been off therapy for at least 1 year and to assess its discriminatory power (discriminant analysis) from healthy children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty children (10 males and 10 females) 9-11 years of age (median age = 10.6 years) were assessed by the UQAC-UQAM test battery and then compared to recent provincial norms. This pilot study was also an opportunity to validate this test battery as a reliable tool for clinical or research purposes in the area of chronic or disabling diseases in children. Eleven motor skill variables grouped into five factors have been measured (speed, agility, balance, coordination, and reaction time).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Scores from 10 of the 11 motor skill tests showed significant differences when compared to the control group (P ≤ 0.05). Nearly 50% of patients obtained an average score below the 15th percentile. Furthermore, stepwise discriminant analysis allowed classifying successfully 88.4% of children in the correct group (ALL or Control). The normal development of GMS among children affected by ALL appears to have been compromised. The UQAC-UQAM test battery seems to be sensitive enough to quantify with precision the extent of the motor impairment in these children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The UQAC-UQAM test battery appears to be a useful tool to evaluate the extent to which ALL survivors are affected. Early motor intervention should be considered for those patients even during the treatment periods.
authors.affiliation: Kinesiology Department of Health Sciences, Kinesiology Division and Health Sciences Department, University of Québec in Chicoutimi, Saguenay, Québec, Canada; Centre de Recherche Interdisciplinaire sur la Qualité et les Saines Habitudes de vie, University of Québec in Chicoutimi, Saguenay, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leone
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Viret
authors.forename: Hung Tien
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Bui
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Laverdière
authors.forename: Émilia
authors.initials: É
authors.lastname: Kalinova
authors.forename: Alain-Steve
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Comtois
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000187:drug effects*; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000379:methods*; D010641:Phenotype; D010865:Pilot Projects; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017741:Survivors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: acute lymphoblastic leukemia; children; gross motor skills; survivors