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Increased Upper Extremity Muscle Mass in Ambulatory Children with Cerebral Palsy
Taeyoung Song1, Jaewon Kim1, Dae-Hyun Jang1
1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06951, Republic of Korea.
Insights
Children with cerebral palsy (CP) have more upper limb muscle mass than typically developing peers, particularly those with GMFCS level II. Lower limb muscle mass showed no significant difference between groups.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Rehabilitation
- Neuromuscular Disorders
- Body Composition Analysis
Background:
- Cerebral palsy (CP) affects motor function, potentially altering body composition.
- Understanding muscle mass distribution is crucial for assessing functional capacity in children with CP.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare upper and lower extremity muscle mass between ambulatory children with CP and typically developing (TD) children.
- To investigate potential differences in lean body mass (LBM) distribution based on CP severity (GMFCS levels I-III).
Main Methods:
- Matched cohort study comparing 21 ambulatory children with CP (GMFCS I-III) to 21 TD children (ages 2-12).
- Lean body mass (LBM) of each extremity was quantified using whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA).
Main Results:
- Children with CP showed significantly greater upper extremity LBM compared to TD children, especially in GMFCS level II (p=0.027).
- No significant difference in lower extremity LBM was observed between CP and TD groups (p=0.190).
- CP group exhibited a lower ratio of lower extremity LBM to total extremity LBM and a higher ratio of upper extremity LBM to total extremity LBM (p<0.001 for both).
Conclusions:
- Ambulatory children with CP, particularly GMFCS level II, demonstrate increased upper extremity muscle mass relative to TD children.
- These findings suggest a compensatory muscle hypertrophy in the upper limbs of children with CP, potentially related to altered motor function and mobility patterns.
Aim:
To compare muscle mass in the upper and lower extremities between ambulatory children with cerebral palsy (CP) and typically developing (TD) children.
Materials And Methods:
A total of 21 children aged 2 to 12 years with CP and a Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level of I, II, or III were matched with 21 TD children for age, sex, and body mass index. The lean body mass (LBM) of each extremity was calculated from whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.
Results:
The LBM of the upper extremities was greater in children with CP compared to TD children, and the difference was significant in the GMFCS level II group (1340.6 g vs. 1004.2 g, p = 0.027). There was no significant difference in the LBM of the lower extremities between the CP and TD groups (p = 0.190). The ratio of lower extremity LBM to total extremity LBM was lower in children with CP, while the ratio of upper extremity LBM to total extremity LBM was higher in children with CP (73.2% vs. 78.5% [p < 0.001] and 26.7% vs. 21.5% [p < 0.001], respectively).
Conclusions:
Ambulatory children with CP, especially in the GMFCS level II group, exhibit greater muscle mass in the upper extremities compared to TD children.
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