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Classification of Cerebral Palsy Subtypes
This study has been completed.
Sponsored by: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Information provided by: National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00072800
  Purpose

This study, conducted at the National Institutes of Health and the Children's National Medical Center, will evaluate how well different physicians agree in how they classify cerebral palsy subtypes based on patient examination. Cerebral palsy is divided into several subtypes, according to the primary underlying muscle abnormality and its distribution and severity. Classification of these subtypes is important for conducting rehabilitation research studies on patients with the same type of abnormality. However, doctors do not always classify cerebral palsy types in the same way. This study will examine methods for improving agreement among doctors in their classification of cerebral palsy subtypes.

Children between 6 and 18 years of age with cerebral palsy who can voluntarily move their arms and legs may be eligible for this study. Participants will be examined by at least three doctors or therapists. The examinations take 30-60 minutes. For the examination, a doctor or therapist will do the following:

  • Observe the patient at rest
  • Gently move the patient's arms and legs and then have the patient move his or her arms and legs
  • Check the patient's reflexes
  • Observe the patient walking, if the patient is able to walk

Patients will be asked to remain in the clinic for up to 3 hours while researchers discuss the examination and may be asked to repeat part of the study examination.


Condition
Cerebral Palsy

MedlinePlus related topics: Cerebral Palsy Paralysis
U.S. FDA Resources
Study Type: Observational
Official Title: Classification of Cerebral Palsy Subtypes

Further study details as provided by National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC):

Estimated Enrollment: 115
Study Start Date: November 2003
Estimated Study Completion Date: August 2005
Detailed Description:

The movement and posture abnormalities that are characteristic of cerebral palsy are associated with underlying abnormalities of muscle tone, including dystonia, spasticity, and rigidity. The subtypes of cerebral palsy are defined according to the predominant muscle tone abnormality, its distribution and severity. There is widespread agreement that CP subtypes should be divided into the following groups. Spastic subtypes (hemiplegia: unilateral asymmetric spasticity; diplegia: bilateral symmetric spasticity, lower limbs more affected than upper limbs; quadriplegia: bilateral symmetric spasticity, upper and lower limbs affected equally), dystonic or athetotic type; and other miscellaneous types: hypotonic, mixed types, etc. These descriptive definitions are not useful when forming homogeneous cohorts of CP subtypes in rehabilitation research studies. Even when a preceding training session establishes precise criteria for each subtype based on these definitions and uses a "four limb" approach (defining the dominant muscle tone abnormality and its severity in each limb) the interobserver agreement in the classification of CP subtypes remains poor. This may be because there are no widely accepted definitions for the most common muscle tone abnormalities in cerebral palsy (spasticity, rigidity, dystonia) and examination methods vary widely. Recently, an interdisciplinary group of clinicians published a consensus document in which they set forth clear definitions for these disorders of muscle tone and recommendations on how to examine for them. Since the CP subtypes are defined according to the dominant muscle tone abnormality, we hypothesize that it may be possible to achieve acceptable interobserver agreement in the classification of the CP subtypes if these definitions and standard examination techniques are incorporated into the preceding training session with the other accepted elements. To test this hypothesis we will train clinicians from three different areas of expertise: child neurology, physiatry, physical therapy to classify subtypes of CP using accepted methods (establishing precise criteria for the subtypes and using a four limb approach) and will also train them to identify muscle tone abnormalities using the definitions and standard examination techniques in the consensus document. Following this training, we will ask the same clinicians to classify subtypes of cerebral palsy in a group of CP children. We will then measure interobserver agreement for the classification of CP using the kappa statistic. Achieving acceptable interobserver agreement in the classification of CP subtypes may facilitate the formation of homogeneous cohorts in research studies.

  Eligibility

Genders Eligible for Study:   Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:   No
Criteria

INCLUSION CRITERIA:

  1. Children 6 to 18 years of age
  2. Children must be previously diagnosed with cerebral palsy
  3. Children born at any gestational age will be eligible.
  4. Lesions must be pre-, peri- or post-natal and acquired before 2 years of age
  5. Lesions must be non-progressive
  6. Patients must be able to voluntarily move their upper and lower limbs

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

  1. Any subject who is pregnant
  2. Children with an underlying known genetic or chromosomal disorder
  3. Children with clearly identified familial or non-familial syndromes (without known chromosomal or genetic defect)
  4. Cerebral lesions acquired after 2 years of age
  5. Patients with progressive or neurodegenerative disorders
  6. Patients with spinal disorders in the absence of cerebral lesions
  7. Patients with sickle cell disease
  8. Patients with cerebral lesions caused by emboli associated with congenital cardiac lesions
  9. Patients with severe cognitive deficits who cannot follow simple verbal commands
  10. Patients incapable of voluntary movement of either upper or lower limbs due to contractures.
  11. Patients with prior rhizotomy
  12. Patients with prior orthopedic (bone or soft tissue) surgery or serial casting
  13. Patients with severe postural abnormalities who cannot maintain supported sitting.
  Contacts and Locations
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00072800

Locations
United States, Maryland
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892
Sponsors and Collaborators
  More Information

Publications:
Study ID Numbers: 040034, 04-N-0034
Study First Received: November 10, 2003
Last Updated: March 3, 2008
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00072800  
Health Authority: United States: Federal Government

Keywords provided by National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC):
Reliability
Muscle Tone Abnormality
Spasticity
Dystonia
Rigidity
Cerebral Palsy
CP
Children

Study placed in the following topic categories:
Paralysis
Dystonic Disorders
Muscle Spasticity
Cerebral Palsy
Brain Damage, Chronic
Central Nervous System Diseases
Dystonia
Muscle Rigidity
Brain Diseases
Brain Injuries
Congenital Abnormalities

Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Nervous System Diseases

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on January 15, 2009