Prevalence of secondary impairments of adults with cerebral palsy according to gross motor function classification system.
Eun-Young Park, Won-Ho Kim
PMID 28265154WHAT IT FOUND
Motor function level was associated with reported spine, joint, pain, and mobility-loss problems in adults with cerebral palsy.
Some other conditions did not show differences by motor function level. The paper did not test treatment.
Key findings
01The study analysed 53 adults with cerebral palsy, with a mean age of 32.18 years.
02GMFCS level was a significant predictor of spondylopathies, general pain, arthropathies, and motor ability loss.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The sample was small, so prevalence estimates are imprecise. The study re-analysed existing survey data, so the researchers did not control how health problems were measured or recorded. Parents provided consent and interviews were used, so responses may reflect parental report rather than the adults' own experience. The table and discussion appear to disagree about which GMFCS group had higher prevalence. The direction is unclear. Age, treatment experience, and parental response were not analysed as possible factors. The sample came from a Korean registry, so it may not generalise to other settings.
Declared interests
No conflict-of-interest or funding declaration is provided in the supplied text. The data came from a Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare survey.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that more severe motor function causes these problems, or that physical therapy can prevent them. This was a small survey of reported prevalence, not a treatment trial, and the table and discussion disagree about which motor function group had higher prevalence.