Ann Alriksson-Schmidt1,2, Eva Nordmark3, Tomasz Czuba4, Lena Westbom2,5. 1. Department of Clinical Sciences, Orthopedics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden. 2. Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden. 3. Department of Health Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden. 4. Epidemiology and Register Center South, Lund, Sweden. 5. Department of Clinical Sciences, Paediatrics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Abstract
AIM: To investigate the stability and to determine factors that affect change in the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) in a sample from the total population with cerebral palsy (CP) in two regions of Sweden. METHOD: Retrospective cohort registry study based on the follow-up programme for CP. Children with CP and a minimum of two GMFCS ratings were included. Subtype, sex, ages at GMFCS ratings, time between ratings, number of ratings, assessor change, and birth cohort were analysed in relation to initial GMFCS levels, with descriptive statistics and logistic regression models. RESULTS: Ninety-three per cent (n=736) of children with CP born between 1990 and 2007 were included, resulting in 7922 assessments between 1995 and 2014. Fifty-six per cent of the children received the same GMFCS rating at all assessments, with a median of 11 individual GMFCS ratings (range 2-21) and a median of three different assessors (range 1-10). Changes were often transient; downward change (higher performance) was more likely in GMFCS levels II and III than in the other levels. The probability of upward change (lower performance) was lowest in unilateral spastic CP. INTERPRETATION: The results support the stability of the GMFCS shown previously and add new information on the properties of the classification.
AIM: To investigate the stability and to determine factors that affect change in the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) in a sample from the total population with cerebral palsy (CP) in two regions of Sweden. METHOD: Retrospective cohort registry study based on the follow-up programme for CP. Children with CP and a minimum of two GMFCS ratings were included. Subtype, sex, ages at GMFCS ratings, time between ratings, number of ratings, assessor change, and birth cohort were analysed in relation to initial GMFCS levels, with descriptive statistics and logistic regression models. RESULTS: Ninety-three per cent (n=736) of children with CP born between 1990 and 2007 were included, resulting in 7922 assessments between 1995 and 2014. Fifty-six per cent of the children received the same GMFCS rating at all assessments, with a median of 11 individual GMFCS ratings (range 2-21) and a median of three different assessors (range 1-10). Changes were often transient; downward change (higher performance) was more likely in GMFCS levels II and III than in the other levels. The probability of upward change (lower performance) was lowest in unilateral spastic CP. INTERPRETATION: The results support the stability of the GMFCS shown previously and add new information on the properties of the classification.
Authors: Nelleke Gertrude Langerak; Nicholas Tam; Jacques du Toit; A Graham Fieggen; Robert Patrick Lamberts Journal: Indian J Orthop Date: 2019 Sep-Oct Impact factor: 1.251