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Assessment of anthropometric indicators in children with cerebral palsy according to the type of motor dysfunction
Jorge Abraham García Iñiguez1, Edgar Manuel Vásquez-Garibay, Andrea García Contreras
1Universidad de Guadalajara. abrahamon_2@hotmail.com.
Insights
Anthropometric measurements in children with cerebral palsy (CP) differ based on motor dysfunction type. The spastic CP group showed higher measurements, and specific growth charts are more suitable than WHO standards for this population.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Clinical Nutrition
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- Children with cerebral palsy (CP) often exhibit altered growth patterns.
- Accurate anthropometric assessment is crucial for monitoring nutritional status and health outcomes in children with CP.
- Existing growth references may not be universally applicable to this diverse population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate variations in anthropometric measurements among children with CP based on motor dysfunction type.
- To evaluate the suitability of different reference standards for assessing anthropometry in children with CP.
- To identify the most appropriate methods for height measurement in this population.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 108 children (2-16 years) with CP, classified by motor dysfunction type, gender, and age.
- Measurements included weight, mid-upper-arm-circumference (MUAC), and alternative height measures.
- Anthropometric indices (height/age, weight/age, BMI) were assessed using percentiles and Z-scores against various growth references, including WHO standards.
Main Results:
- The spastic CP group (73.1%) showed significantly higher weight, height, and MUAC compared to other motor dysfunction types (p < 0.05).
- Children were predominantly classified at Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels IV (14.6%) and V (73.1%).
- Upper-arm length (UAL) was found to be less suitable for height estimation than knee height (KH) and lower-leg length (LLL).
Conclusions:
- Anthropometric indicators are significantly higher in children with spastic CP compared to other types.
- Knee height (KH) and lower-leg length (LLL) are more appropriate for estimating height than upper-arm length (UAL) in children with CP.
- World Health Organization (WHO) growth charts are not ideal for assessing most anthropometric indices in children with CP; alternative references like Day and Brooks charts are more suitable.
Aim:
The study aimed to demonstrate that the assessment of the anthropomorphic measurements of children with cerebral palsy (CP) varies according to the type of motor dysfunction and references standard used for comparison.
Method:
In a cross-sectional design, 108 children 2 to 16 years were classified according to the type of motor dysfunction by gender and age group. Weight, mid-upper-arm-circumference (MUAC), and alternative measures for height were performed. Height/age and weight/age indexes and BMI were evaluated with percentiles and/or Z-scores with reference to a number of previously published references of growth, including those of the World Health Organization (WHO).
Results:
Fifty-three (49.1%) were females and 55 (50.9%) males. Spastic type was predominant (73.1%) and 26.9% were other types of dysfunction. Most of the children were located on level IV (14.6%) and level V (73.1%) of the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). Significant differences were found, suggesting that weight (p = 0.002), height (p = 0.001), and MUAC (p = 0.05) are higher in the spastic group than in other groups.
Conclusions:
The anthropometric indicators were significantly higher in the spastic group than in other groups. Upper-arm length (UAL) seemed less appropriate than knee height (KH) and lower-leg length (LLL) for measuring height. The WHO reference standard was not useful to evaluate the majority of anthropometric indexes in children with CP, other references as the growth charts of Day and Brooks have been more suitable.
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