Article

The Infant Motor Profile (IMP) is a novel qualitative assessment of motor
behaviour in infancy. The aim of this study was to determine whether IMP scores
throughout infancy differ between children with and without cerebral palsy (CP)
at 18 months. Furthermore, we evaluated the predictive ability of IMP scores
throughout infancy for CP. METHOD: Fifty-nine preterm (median gestational age
29.7 wk, median birthweight 1285 g) and 30 term infants (median gestational age
40.1 wk, median birthweight 3588 g) were included. IMP assessments were
longitudinally performed at (corrected) ages of 4, 6, 10, and 12 months.
Neurological outcome was determined at 18 months with the neurological
examination according to Hempel. We compared total and domain IMP scores
throughout infancy between infants with and without CP. RESULTS: In the term
group none of the children was diagnosed with CP at the age of 18 months, in the
preterm group eight had CP at 18 months (14%). Three had unilateral spastic CP,
and five bilateral spastic CP. Children with CP (n=8) at 18 months had lower IMP
scores throughout infancy than children without. These differences were most
pronounced for the domains variation and performance. The predictive ability of
the total IMP scores throughout infancy for CP was high (area under receiver
operating characteristic curve 0.89-0.99) and most pronounced for the variation
and performance domains. INTERPRETATION: IMP scores throughout infancy and CP at
18 months are strongly related. In particular, low scores on the variation and
performance domains were important indicators for CP. To determine the exact
predictive ability of the IMP, further research is needed.
CI - (c) The Authors. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology (c) 2011 Mac Keith
Press.

Langue : ANGLAIS