Article

The purpose of this study was to determine the agreement between
actual height or segmental length and estimated height from segmental measures
among individuals with cerebral palsy. DESIGN: A convenience sample of 137
children and young adults with cerebral palsy (age 2-25 yrs) were recruited from
a tertiary care center. Height, body mass, recumbent length, knee height, tibia
length, and ulna length were measured. Estimated height was calculated using
several common prediction equations. Agreement between measured and estimated
height was determined using the Bland-Altman method. RESULTS: Limits of agreement
were wide for all equations, usually in the range of +/-10 cm. Repeatability of
the individual measures was high, with a coefficient of variation of 1%-2% for
all measures. The equation using knee height demonstrated a nonuniform difference
in which height estimation worsened as overall height increased. CONCLUSIONS:
Accurate measurement of height is important but very difficult in individuals
with cerebral palsy. Segmental measures are highly repeatable and thus may be
used on their own to monitor growth. However, when an accurate measure of height
is needed to monitor nutritional status (i.e., for body mass index calculation),
caution is warranted because there is only fair-to-poor agreement between actual
height and estimated height.

Langue : ANGLAIS