ABBREVIATIONS
FMSFunctional Mobility Scale GPS Gait Profile Score SEMLS Single-event multilevel surgery AIM There are conflicting reports about the stability of the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) in children with cerebral palsy (CP) after orthopaedic surgery. We studied the stability of the GMFCS in children with bilateral spastic CP after single-event multilevel surgery, using the Gait Profile Score (GPS) as the primary outcome measure.METHOD This was a retrospective cohort study of 107 children (46 females, 61 males) with bilateral spastic CP, classified as GMFCS level II or III, who underwent surgery at a single tertiary institution between 1997 and 2008. The mean age at surgery was 10 years 7 months (SD 2y 8mo). The primary outcome measure was the GPS. Changes in GMFCS level were studied at multiple time points before and after intervention.RESULTS Gait dysfunction was partially corrected, with a mean improvement of 28% in the GPS.The GMFCS remained stable and unchanged in 95% of children and improved by one level in 5% of children. The improvement in GPS was three times the minimal clinically important difference. The mean age at final postoperative GPS assessment was 11 years 10 months (SD 2y 10mo) and at final GMFCS assessment was 15 years 7 months (SD 3y 9mo).INTERPRETATION Stability of the GMFCS was confirmed in the majority of children with bilateral spastic CP after single-event multilevel surgery, despite statistically and clinically significant improvements in gait dysfunction and functional mobility. This information is important in realistic goal-setting and in counselling families.The Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) is a standardized method to classify gross motor function in children with cerebral palsy (CP) from 1 to 18 years of age.
1,2It is a five-level categorical grading system which classifies differences in gross motor function that are meaningful and significant to children with CP and their families.3 Distinctions between GMFCS levels are based on functional limitations with an emphasis on sitting and walking and the need for assistive devices and wheeled mobility. Children may be quickly and easily classified at any given time, such as during a clinic appointment or gait laboratory assessment, by determining which level best corresponds to the child's current gross motor function. A set of age-appropriate descriptive criteria are used and good correlations have been demonstrated between classifications assigned by parents and by health professionals. 1,2,4 Since the original description by Palisano et al. 1 in 1997, the GMFCS has become widely accepted, widely used, and is considered by many to be an essential tool to communicate about gross motor function in CP.
5,6The GMFCS is a valid and reliable classification tool which is expected to be relatively stable over time, with or without intervention. Palisano et al. 3 reported that 73% of 610 children with CP remained at the same GMFCS level at multiple ratings over time , and McCormick et ...