Upper limb function evaluation scales for individuals with cerebral palsy: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Pediatric Neurology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Cerebral palsy (CP) significantly impacts motor function, particularly in the upper limbs.
• Accurate assessment of upper limb function is crucial for effective intervention and management in CP.
• Existing evaluation scales and methods vary widely, leading to potential inconsistencies in research and clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and identify the most frequently used scales and methods for assessing upper limb function in individuals with cerebral palsy (CP).
• To synthesize current literature regarding the evaluation of upper limb function in the CP population.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted across major databases including Medline, PEDro, Lilacs, Scielo, and PubMed.
• Inclusion criteria focused on randomized controlled studies published between 2006 and 2014, specifically evaluating upper limb function in individuals with CP.
• Methodological quality of selected articles was assessed using the PEDro evidence scale.

Main Results:

• Five studies met the inclusion criteria and demonstrated a high level of methodological quality (PEDro score ≥ 6).
• The reviewed studies employed a variety of different scales for evaluating upper limb function.
• No single evaluation scale emerged as universally adopted or superior among the selected studies.

Conclusions:

• The current literature lacks a consensus on the most appropriate scale for assessing upper limb function in individuals with cerebral palsy.
• Further research is essential to establish standardized and validated methods for evaluating upper limb function in this population.
• Development of a consensus-based assessment tool could improve the reliability and comparability of research findings and clinical outcomes.