Differentiation between non-neural and neural contributors to ankle joint stiffness in cerebral palsy.

BACKGROUND: Spastic paresis in cerebral palsy (CP) is characterized by increased joint stiffness that may be of neural origin, i.e. improper muscle activation caused by e.g. hyperreflexia or non-neural origin, i.e. altered tissue viscoelastic properties (clinically: "spasticity" vs. "contracture"). Differentiation between these components is hard to achieve by common manual tests. We applied an assessment instrument to obtain quantitative measures of neural and non-neural contributions to ankle joint stiffness in CP. METHODS: Twenty-three adolescents with CP and eleven healthy subjects were seated with their foot fixated to an electrically powered single axis footplate. Passive ramp-and-hold rotations were applied over full ankle range of motion (RoM) at low and high velocities. Subject specific tissue stiffness, viscosity and reflexive torque were estimated from ankle angle, torque and triceps surae EMG activity using a neuromuscular model. RESULTS: In CP, triceps surae reflexive torque was on average 5.7 times larger (p = .002) and tissue stiffness 2.1 times larger (p = .018) compared to controls. High tissue stiffness was associated with reduced RoM (p < .001). Ratio between neural and non-neural contributors varied substantially within adolescents with CP. Significant associations of SPAT (spasticity test) score with both tissue stiffness and reflexive torque show agreement with clinical phenotype. CONCLUSIONS: Using an instrumented and model based approach, increased joint stiffness in CP could be mainly attributed to higher reflexive torque compared to control subjects. Ratios between contributors varied substantially within adolescents with CP. Quantitative differentiation of neural and non-neural stiffness contributors in CP allows for assessment of individual patient characteristics and tailoring of therapy.

Test-retest and inter- and intrareliability of the quality of the upper-extremity skills test in preschool-age children with cerebral palsy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the test-retest, inter-, and intraobserver reliability of the Quality of Upper Extremity Skills Test (QUEST) in young children with cerebral palsy (CP). DESIGN: For test-retest reliability, a test-retest design was used; for the intra- and interobserver reliability, the videotaped test was scored on 2 occasions by 1 observer and by various observers. SETTING: Groups of preschool-age children in 2 general rehabilitation centers. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-one children with CP (12 boys, 9 girls) aged 2 to 4.5 years (mean, 39 mo). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Spearman correlation coefficient. RESULTS: The data indicated that test-retest reliability was strong (rho range, .85-.94). Intraobserver agreement (rho range, .63-.95) and agreement between various observers (rho range, .72-.90) were moderate to strong. CONCLUSIONS: Test-retest and inter- and intraobserver reliability of the QUEST in preschool-age children with CP is good.

Effectiveness of preventive and corrective surgical intervention on hip disorders in severe cerebral palsy: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: This review presents an overview of the effectiveness of preventive and corrective surgical interventions to treat hip displacement in patients with severe cerebral palsy (CP). METHOD: A systematic literature search was applied to identify studies concerning surgical procedures in hip(sub)luxations in severe CP (GMFCS IV and V). A qualitative analysis and a best evidence synthesis were performed for soft tissue surgery and osteotomies. RESULTS: The literature search identified 15 studies, all of which were observational. Five studies involved soft tissue surgery and 10 involved osteotomies. Only one study involving soft tissue surgery was of sufficient quality. Nine of the 10 studies involving osteotomies were of sufficient quality, including a total of 189 patients. The mean MP (migration percentage) at follow-up ranged from 6 to 29%. No relationship could be established between the effect of the surgical procedure and the patients' age or the duration of follow-up. The percentage of patients reporting pain decreased from 81% preoperatively to 5% at follow-up. Twenty-five percent had complications such as osteoarthritis, ulcers or fractures. CONCLUSIONS: There is insufficient evidence for the effectiveness of soft tissue surgery to stabilize the hip, due to insufficient quality of the retrospective observational studies. This review shows indicative findings (provided by consistent, statistically significant findings on outcome and/or process measures in at least two Observational Studies with sufficient quality) for an effect of bony surgery in stabilizing the hip. Timing of the procedure remains an issue. Multicenter trials could shed further light on this complicated subject.

Palliative hip surgery in severe cerebral palsy: a systematic review.

We performed a systematic review of the results of palliative hip surgery in severe cerebral palsy. Individuals with severe cerebral palsy frequently suffer from pain and other impairments because of dislocation or malformation of the hips. When preventive or reconstructive surgery fails, palliative intervention is performed. A number of salvage interventions have been described. We found articles on resection surgery of the femoral head, arthrodesis of the hip joint, and total hip replacement. The published literature does not clearly favor one procedure over the others. The resection arthroplasty technique developed by Castle is reported to yield the best results and fewer complications, and seems to eventually lead to a good outcome.

Reduced elbow mobility affects the flexion or extension domain in activities of daily living.

BACKGROUND: Rehabilitation of patients with joint affecting diseases makes an appeal to available compensating motions. Objective information about compensatory motions is required for clinical decision-making. Our objective was to quantify resulting shoulder and arm motions from limited elbow mobility during activities of daily living in healthy controls and patients. METHODS: Ten hemophilia patients with reduced elbow motion and ten controls volunteered in a kinematic motion analysis of thorax, shoulder, arm and wrist during 5 experimental activities of daily living. In controls, the elbow range of motion was limited by an elbow brace with variable flexion and extension stops. The elbow angle of patients was not intervened. Outcome variables were minimal required elbow range of motion for successful activity of daily living completion and concurring compensatory motions. FINDINGS: An elbow flexion and extension domain was identified separated by a 97° to 110° interval in which none of the observed tasks could be fulfilled. A minimal average elbow flexion angle of 86° and an additional range of motion of 36° were required to finish all tasks successfully. Predominant significant compensatory motion was found in the glenohumeral joint and wrist. INTERPRETATION: Two functional elbow flexion domains exist, separated by a transition domain of 36°. Treatment should be focussed to bridge both domains. Limiting treatments, e.g. arthrodesis of the elbow joint within this transition range, especially in a cosmetic 90°, leads to severe disability. Limited joint range of motion requires increased compensatory motions in other joints.