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BMC Neurology
Published in: BMC Neurology 1/2017

Open Access 01-12-2017 | Research article

The relationship between lower limb muscle volume and body mass in ambulant individuals with bilateral cerebral palsy

Authors: Jonathan J. Noble, Emily Chruscikowski, Nicola R. D. Fry, Andrew P. Lewis, Martin Gough, Adam P. Shortland

Published in: BMC Neurology | Issue 1/2017

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Abstract

Background

Individuals with cerebral palsy have smaller muscle volumes normalised to body mass than their typically developing peers. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between lower limb muscle volume and body mass in young people with bilateral cerebral palsy and their typically developing peers.

Methods

Twenty-five participants with bilateral cerebral palsy (aged 14.7±3.0 years, GMFCS level I-III) and 25 of their typically developing peers (aged 16.8±3.3 years) took part in this study. None of the participants had undergone orthopaedic surgery, botulinum toxin injections, or serial casting in the previous year. All participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging of both lower limbs. Nine major muscles of each lower limb were individually manually segmented and the muscle volumes calculated.

Results

Body mass and total lower limb muscle volume were significantly linearly related in both the cerebral palsy (R2 = 0.75, p<0.001) and typically developing (R2 = 0.77, p<0.001) groups. The slope of the relationship between muscle volume and body mass was significantly shallower in the cerebral palsy group compared to the typically developing group (p=0.007).

Conclusions

This cross-sectional study suggests that the increase in size of lower limb muscles relative to body mass is reduced in adolescents and young adults with cerebral palsy. Longitudinal studies are required to further investigate altered muscle growth trajectories in this group and their impact on long-term mobility.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
The relationship between lower limb muscle volume and body mass in ambulant individuals with bilateral cerebral palsy
Authors
Jonathan J. Noble
Emily Chruscikowski
Nicola R. D. Fry
Andrew P. Lewis
Martin Gough
Adam P. Shortland
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Neurology / Issue 1/2017
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2377
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12883-017-1005-0

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