Ultrasonographic Assessment of Femoral Cartilage Thickness in Patients With Cerebral Palsy.

BACKGROUND

Cerebral palsy (CP) is one of the most disabling syndromes in children. To our knowledge, there has not yet been any reported evaluation by ultrasonography of the effect of CP on distal femoral cartilage. The value of understanding this effect on cartilage is that sonographic evaluation of cartilage thickness may help physicians to predict the joint health of these children.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether femoral cartilage thickness in patients with CP is different from that in healthy control subjects.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

National tertiary rehabilitation center.

PATIENTS

The study included 40 patients with diplegic CP (23 male and 17 female) and 51 healthy control subjects (29 male and 22 female).

METHODS

Demographic and clinical characteristics were recorded. Cartilage thicknesses were measured.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Cartilage thickness measurements were taken from the medial and lateral condyles, and intercondylar areas of both knees.

RESULTS

Both groups were similar in terms of age, gender, and weight (P > .05). The mean cartilage thickness measurements of the medial condyle and intercondylar area of knees in the CP group were significantly less than those in the healthy control group (all P < .05). There was moderate negative correlation between age and all femoral cartilage thickness measurements in the CP group. There was no correlation between age and femoral cartilage thickness measurements in the healthy group. There was a negative correlation between Gross Motor Functional Classification System levels and cartilage thickness in the CP group. The highest cartilage thickness measurements were detected in level 1 patients, and the lowest measurements were detected in level 5 patients.

CONCLUSION

This study showed that patients with CP have a thinner femoral cartilage than healthy control subjects. Management of patients with CP should include close surveillance.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.