Relationship Between Motor Level and Wheelchair Transfer Ability in Spina Bifida: A Study From the National Spina Bifida Patient Registry.
Gina McKernan, Sara Izzo, Theresa M Crytzer and 2 others
PMID 32682935WHAT IT FOUND
Most patients with spina bifida maintained their wheelchair transfer ability over time.
When transfer ability changed, it tracked directly with shifts in motor level rather than baseline severity. Older age and hip or knee strength changes were key factors in these functional shifts.
Key findings
01The majority of patients experienced no change in transfer ability over the study period.
02Changes in transfer ability were associated with corresponding changes in motor level, not baseline motor level.
03Baseline motor level was the predominant predictor of baseline transfer ability.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The registry data comes from academic centers and may not represent the broader spina bifida population. The reliability of motor level and transfer assessments within the registry is unknown. Limited longitudinal data for some patients may have underestimated the number of people whose transfer ability changed. The study did not collect data on whether patients received physical therapy or other interventions that could affect transfer ability. The association between surgery and transfer ability does not prove causation, as post-surgical effects or braces might temporarily impact transfer.
Declared interests
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that a patient's baseline motor level predicts how their transfer ability will change over time. The study found that baseline level predicted current ability, but only changes in motor level were associated with changes in transfer ability.