Maremka Zwinkels1, Tim Takken2, Thijs Ruyten3, Anne Visser-Meily4, Olaf Verschuren5. 1. Center of Excellence for Rehabilitation Medicine and Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, De Hoogstraat Rehabilitation and University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: m.zwinkels@dehoogstraat.nl. 2. Child Development and Exercise Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. 3. Center of Excellence for Rehabilitation Medicine and Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, De Hoogstraat Rehabilitation and University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. 4. Center of Excellence for Rehabilitation Medicine and Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, De Hoogstraat Rehabilitation and University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Rehabilitation, Physical Therapy Science and Sports, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands. 5. Center of Excellence for Rehabilitation Medicine and Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, De Hoogstraat Rehabilitation and University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: o.verschuren@dehoogstraat.nl.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: In recent decades, improving fitness has become an important goal in rehabilitation medicine in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP). AIMS: To compare body mass index (BMI), performance-related fitness, and cardiorespiratory fitness of children with CP measured in 2014 with a comparable sample from 2004. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: In total, 25 high-functioning children with CP (i.e., GMFCS I-II) measured in 2004 (13 boys; mean age 13.2 (2.6) years) were matched to 25 children measured in 2014. Outcomes included body mass and BMI, muscle power sprint test (MPST), 10×5m sprint test, and a shuttle run test (SRT). Data of 15 participants from 2004 (10 boys; mean age 12.6 (2.5) years) were matched and analysed for VO2peak. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Body mass and BMI were higher (both: p<0.05) in the 2014 cohort compared to the 2004 cohort. Further, performance-related fitness was better for the 2014 cohort on the MPST (p=0.004), the 10×5m sprint test (p=0.001), and the SRT (p<0.001). However, there were no differences for VO2peak. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: In high-funcitoning children with CP, there are positive ecological time trends in performance-related fitness, but not in VO2peak between 2004 and 2014. The substantial higher body mass and BMI is alarming and requires further investigation.
BACKGROUND: In recent decades, improving fitness has become an important goal in rehabilitation medicine in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP). AIMS: To compare body mass index (BMI), performance-related fitness, and cardiorespiratory fitness of children with CP measured in 2014 with a comparable sample from 2004. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: In total, 25 high-functioning children with CP (i.e., GMFCS I-II) measured in 2004 (13 boys; mean age 13.2 (2.6) years) were matched to 25 children measured in 2014. Outcomes included body mass and BMI, muscle power sprint test (MPST), 10×5m sprint test, and a shuttle run test (SRT). Data of 15 participants from 2004 (10 boys; mean age 12.6 (2.5) years) were matched and analysed for VO2peak. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Body mass and BMI were higher (both: p<0.05) in the 2014 cohort compared to the 2004 cohort. Further, performance-related fitness was better for the 2014 cohort on the MPST (p=0.004), the 10×5m sprint test (p=0.001), and the SRT (p<0.001). However, there were no differences for VO2peak. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: In high-funcitoning children with CP, there are positive ecological time trends in performance-related fitness, but not in VO2peak between 2004 and 2014. The substantial higher body mass and BMI is alarming and requires further investigation.
Authors: Maremka Zwinkels; Olaf Verschuren; Astrid Balemans; Kristel Lankhorst; Saskia Te Velde; Leendert van Gaalen; Janke de Groot; Anne Visser-Meily; Tim Takken Journal: Front Pediatr Date: 2018-03-26 Impact factor: 3.418