Assessment of children with brachial plexus birth palsy using the Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Orthopedics
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Clinical Outcomes Measurement

Background:

• Brachial plexus birth palsy (BPBP) significantly impacts pediatric upper extremity function.
• Accurate functional assessment is crucial for guiding treatment and evaluating outcomes in children with BPBP.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument (PODCI) for its ability to detect functional deficits in children with BPBP.
• To compare functional scores between children with BPBP undergoing shoulder surgery and healthy controls.

Main Methods:

• Prospective administration of the PODCI to 23 pediatric patients with BPBP awaiting shoulder tendon surgery.
• Comparison of patient scores with published normative PODCI data from age-matched controls.
• Analysis of factors associated with functional outcomes within the BPBP cohort.

Main Results:

• Children with BPBP demonstrated significantly lower PODCI scores in upper extremity, sports, and global function compared to controls.
• Limited active shoulder external rotation was strongly correlated with diminished functional scores.
• The PODCI identified functional impairments in the affected upper extremities.

Conclusions:

• The PODCI is a valid tool for measuring diminished upper extremity function in pediatric patients with BPBP.
• The PODCI shows potential for assessing baseline function and postoperative improvements in children with BPBP.
• Functional outcomes in BPBP may be influenced by range of motion limitations, such as shoulder external rotation.