OBJECTIVE: To introduce the Korean Database of Cerebral Palsy (KDCP) and to provide the first report on characteristics of subjects with cerebral palsy (CP). METHODS: The KDCP is a nationwide database of subjects with CP, which includes a total of 773 subjects. Characteristics such as demography, birth history, onset and type of CP, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, functional ability and accompanying impairments, were extracted and analyzed. RESULTS: Preterm delivery and low birth weight were found in 59.51% and 60.28% of subjects, respectively. Postnatally acquired CP was 15.3%. The distribution of CP was 87.32%, 5.17%, and 1.81% for spastic, dyskinetic, and ataxic types, respectively. Functional ability was the worst in dyskinetic CP, as compared to other types of CP. Speech-language disorder (43.9%), ophthalmologic impairment (32.9%), and intellectual disability (30.3%) were the three most common accompanying impairments. The number of accompanying impairments was elevated in subjects with preterm birth and low birth weight. Brain MRI showed normal findings, malformations, and non-malformations in 10.62%, 9.56%, and 77.35% of subjects, respectively. Subjects with normal MRI findings had better functional ability than subjects with other MRI findings. MRI findings of a non-malformation origin, such as periventricular leukomalacia, were more common in subjects with preterm birth and low birth weight. CONCLUSION: The KDCP and its first report are introduced in this report, wherein the KDCP established agreement on terminologies of CP. This study added information on the characteristics of subjects with CP in South Korea, which can now be compared to those of other countries and ethnicities.
Brain ; Cerebral Palsy* ; Classification ; Demography ; Humans ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Intellectual Disability ; Korea* ; Leukomalacia, Periventricular ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Muscle Spasticity ; Premature Birth ; Reproductive History

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical usefulness of sonoelastography in infants with congenital muscular torticollis (CMT). METHODS: The medical records of 215 infants clinically diagnosed with CMT were retrospectively reviewed. Fifty-three infants met the inclusion criteria as follows: 1) infants diagnosed as CMT with a palpable neck mass before 3 months of age, 2) infants who were evaluated initially by both B-mode ultrasonography and sonoelastography, and 3) infants who had received physical therapy after being diagnosed with CMT. We checked the thickness of the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscles in B-mode ultrasonography, strain ratio of the SCM muscles in sonoelastography, and treatment duration. We evaluated the correlation between the treatment duration and the following factors: SCM muscle thickness, ratio of SCM muscle thickness on the affected to unaffected side (A/U ratio), and strain ratio. RESULTS: Both the thickness of the affected SCM muscle and the A/U ratio did not show significant correlation with the treatment duration (p=0.66, p=0.90). The strain ratio of the affected SCM muscle was significantly greater than that of the unaffected SCM muscle (p<0.001), and the strain ratio showed significant correlation with the treatment duration (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: Sonoelastography may be a useful adjunctive tool to B-mode ultrasonography for evaluating infants with CMT, especially when predicting their rehabilitation outcomes.
Elasticity Imaging Techniques* ; Humans ; Infant* ; Medical Records ; Muscles ; Neck ; Prognosis ; Rehabilitation ; Retrospective Studies ; Torticollis* ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of repeated steroid injection at subacromial bursa with different interval for patient with periarticular shoulder disorder. METHODS: Group A (n=10) received subacromial bursa injection only on their first visit, group C (n=10) received the injection on their first visit and one week later, and group B (n=10) received the injection on their first visit and two weeks later. All injections were done with a combination of 40 mg (1.0 mL) of triamcinolone and 5.0 mL 0.5% lidocaine (6 mL total). We examined the active range of motion (AROM) of the shoulder joint, visual analogue scale (VAS), and shoulder disability questionnaire (SDQ) at baseline at 1, 2, and 4 weeks after the initial injection. RESULTS: In VAS, comparing the changes in VAS between groups, group B showed significant improvements compared with group A or C at 4 weeks after the initial injection (p<0.05). In SDQ, comparing the changes in SDQ between the groups, group B and C showed more improvement than group A at 4 weeks after the initial injection, but these results were not statistically significant (p>0.05). In AROM, comparing the changes in AROM of external rotation between groups, group B and C showed significant improvement compared with group A at 4 weeks after the initial injection (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: It may be more effective in pain relief for patients with periarticular disorder to receive subacromial bursa injections twice with 2-week interval, as opposed to once.
Humans ; Lidocaine ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Shoulder ; Shoulder Joint ; Triamcinolone ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate effects of subacromial bursa injection with steroid according to dosage and to investigate whether hyaluronidase can reduce steroid dosage. METHODS: Thirty patients with periarticular shoulder disorder were assigned to receive subacromial bursa injection once a week for two consecutive weeks. Ten patients (group A) underwent subacromial bursa injection with triamcinolone 20 mg; another group of ten patients (group B) with hyaluronidase 1,500 IU and triamcinolone 20 mg; and the other ten patients (group C) with triamcinolone 40 mg. We examined the active range of motion (AROM) of the shoulder joint, visual analogue scale (VAS), and shoulder disability questionnaire (SDQ) at study entry and every week until 1 week after the 2nd injection. RESULTS: All groups showed statistically significant improvements in VAS after 1st and 2nd injections. When comparing the degree of improvement in VAS, there were statistically significant differences between groups C and A or B, but not between groups A and B. SDQ was statistically significantly improved only in groups B and C, as compared to pre-injection. There were statistically significant differences in improvement of SDQ after the 2nd injection between groups C and A or B. Statistically significant improvements in AROM were shown in abduction (groups B and C) and in flexion (group C only). CONCLUSION: Repeated high-dose (40 mg) steroid injection was more effective in terms of pain relief and functional improvements of shoulder joint than medium-dose (20 mg) steroid injection in periarticular disorder. Hyaluronidase seems to have little additive effect on subacromial bursa injection for reducing the dosage of steroid.
Humans ; Hyaluronoglucosaminidase* ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Shoulder ; Shoulder Impingement Syndrome ; Shoulder Joint ; Triamcinolone ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the training effects on balance and gait ability using balance control trainer combined with partial weight-bearing system in chronic hemiplegic stroke patients. METHOD: A prospective crossover clinical trial was designed. The subjects consisted of 16 chronic hemiplegic stroke patients. All patients had a stroke more than six months. In addition to conventional physical therapy (PT), 8 patients in group A were trained with the balance control trainer for 30 min/day, 5 day/week, for first 2 weeks and then received only conventional physical therapy for 2 weeks. The other 8 patients in group B received only conventional PT for first 2 weeks and then were trained with the balance control trainer for 30 min/day, 5 day/week, for next 2 weeks, with additional conventional PT. We evaluated with clinical tests including functional ambulation categories (FAC), Berg balance scale (BBS), 6 min walking distance (6mWT), timed up and go (TUG), Korean-modified barthel Index (K-MBI) and muscle strengthening of knee extensor (MMTknee) before training, 2 weeks and 4 weeks after training in those patients. RESULTS: After training, subjects in experimental period (2weeks period of conventional PT+Balance control trainer in group A&B) showed more improvement than those in control period (2 weeks period of only conventional PT in group A&B) in FAC, BBS, 6mWT, TUG, K-MBI (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: We think the balance control trainer combined with the partial weight-bearing system can be a useful tool for improving balance and gait ability in chronic hemiplegic stroke patients.
Gait ; Humans ; Knee ; Muscles ; Prospective Studies ; Stroke ; Walking ; Weight-Bearing

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the additive effects of hyaluronidase combined with steroids in patients with peri-articular shoulder disorder. METHOD: Thirty patients with peri-articular shoulder disorder were given subacromial bursa injections once a week for three consecutive weeks. Fifteen patients (Group A) underwent subacromial bursa injections with hyaluronidase 1,500 IU, triamcinolone 40 mg and 0.5% lidocaine (total 6 ml). Another fifteen patients (Group B) underwent the same injections with triamcinolone 40 mg and 0.5% lidocaine (total 6 ml). We examined the active range of motion (AROM) in the shoulder, used a visual analogue scale (VAS) for measurement, and administered a shoulder disability questionnaire (SDQ) at the commencement of the study and then every week until one week after the third injection. RESULTS: There were no significant difference between group A and B before the injections took place (p>0.05). Statistically significant improvement was seen in the VAS, SDQ, and AROM of flexion, abduction, internal rotation at one week after the first and second injections compared with the parameters measured at previous visits in both groups (p<0.05), except the SDQ between one week after the first and second injections in group B (p>0.05). Improvement in all parameters measured at one week after the third injection compared with the measurement values at one week after the second injection were not statistically significant in both groups (p>0.05). However, group A (the hyaluronidase group) showed significantly greater improvements than group B in terms of their SDQ and AROM of internal rotation scores one week after the three injections had taken place (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Peri-articular shoulder disorder patients who underwent subacromial bursa injections using hyaluronidase and steroids showed greater functional improvements than those who were given only steroid injections.
Humans ; Hyaluronoglucosaminidase ; Hypogonadism ; Lidocaine ; Mitochondrial Diseases ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Shoulder ; Steroids ; Triamcinolone ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of obturator nerve blocks with ultrasound guided intraneural alcohol injection. METHOD: Nine quadriplegic patients suffering hip adductor spasticity were included in this study. The obturator nerve was identified at just below inguinal ligament area on anteromedial surface of upper leg at supine position. An 23 G needle was inserted into anterior branch of obturator nerve under real time ultrasonography. The 50% alcohol solution was injected 3~5 ml at a time within the epineurium of the anterior branch of obturator nerve until the expanding nerve was visualized. We examed modified Ashworth scale (MAS) of hip adductor and passive range of movement of hip abduction at supine position at study entry, 1, 4, and 12 weeks after ultrasound guided intraneural injection. RESULTS: There were statistically significant improvement was seen in MAS of hip adductors and hip abduction angle at 1, 4, and 12 weeks after ultrasound guided intraneural injection, compared with parameters measured at previous injection (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Ultrasound guided intraneural alcohol injection into anterior branch of obturator nerve for treatment of hip adductor spasticity in patients with quadriplegia is an effective and safe procedure for relieving localized spasticity of the hip adductors.
Hip ; Humans ; Leg ; Ligaments ; Muscle Spasticity ; Needles ; Obturator Nerve ; Peripheral Nerves ; Quadriplegia ; Stress, Psychological ; Supine Position

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the additive effect of sono-guided subacromial bursa injection of hyaluronate with steroid in patients with peri-articular shoulder disorders. METHOD: This prospective randomized controlled trial involved 26 patients who had shoulder pain. Group A, consisting of 13 patients, was treated with a sono-guided subacromial bursa injection containing a mixture of 0.5% lidocaine (5 ml) and triamcinolone 40 mg (1 ml), followed by injection with sodium hyaluronate (2 ml) once a week for 3 weeks. The other 13 patients (Group B) were treated with a sono-guided subacromial bursa injection containing a mixture of 0.5% lidocaine (5 ml) and triamcinolone 40 mg (1 ml) once a week for 3 weeks. The effects were assessed using a visual analogue scale (VAS) of shoulder pain, active range of motion (AROM), shoulder function assessment scale (SFA), shoulder disability questionnaire (SDQ) at study entry and every week from first injection until 4 weeks after the 1st injection (= 2 weeks after 3rd injection). RESULTS: (1) Demographic features and all parameters measured before injection did not show a significant difference between the 2 groups. (2) Statistically significant improvements were shown in VAS, SFA, SDQ during the 1st, 2nd, and 4th week after the first injection in both groups (p<0.05). (3) SFA showed significant improvement at 1 week after injection only in group A (p<0.05). (4) AROM of internal rotation showed significant improvement at week 4 after the 1st injection only in group A (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Subacromial bursa injection of hyaluronate with steroid in patients with peri-articular shoulder disorders has additive effects on functional improvement of the affected shoulder, including the AROM of internal rotation.
Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; Lidocaine ; Prospective Studies ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Shoulder ; Shoulder Pain ; Triamcinolone ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of botulinum toxin type A (BTXA) on drooling and the morphologic change of the salivary gland in patients with cerebral palsy. METHOD: Eight cerebral palsy patients suffering from severe drooling participated in this study. BTXA was injected into both submandibular and parotid glands under intravenous sedation and with ultrasound guidance (1 unit/gland/kg: maximum 100 units) in an outpatient or inpatient procedure. The severity of drooling was measured before injection and 3 weeks after injection using the Teacher Drooling Scale, the Drooling Score-severity, frequency and the Visual Analog Scale. To investigate the morphologic change of the salivary glands, the size of salivary glands were measured before injection and 3 weeks after injection using computed tomography of the neck. The measurement values were analyzed by Wilcoxon signed rank test. RESULTS: Statistically significant improvements were shown in all three parameters for assessing the severity of drooling after BTXA injections (p<0.05). Size of the salivary glands were significantly decreased at 3 weeks after BTXA injection (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Salivary gland injection with BTXA could be a useful treatment method to reduce drooling in patients with cerebral palsy and decreased size of salivary glands may partially explain the mechanism.
Botulinum Toxins ; Botulinum Toxins, Type A ; Cerebral Palsy ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Neck ; Outpatients ; Parotid Gland ; Salivary Glands ; Sialorrhea ; Stress, Psychological

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of ultrasouond-guided salivary gland injection of botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) for posterior drooling. METHOD: 11 patients with brain lesion (9 cerebral palsy, 1 hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy and 1 mental retardation) with posterior drooling (an initial PDAS score greater than 2) and related pulmonary problems were recruited. Drooling severity was measured at baseline, 4 weeks, 3 months and 6 months after botulinum toxin A injection, by using Teacher Drooling Scale (TDS), Visual Analogue Scales (VAS), Drooling Score System (DSS)-severity, frequency and Posterior Drooling/Aspiration System (PDAS). RESULTS: The TDS, DSS-severity, DSS-frequency, VAS, PDAS were significantly reduced at 4 weeks and 3 months after BTX-A injection into salivary glands compared to pre-injection (p<0.05). However, there were no significant changes at 6 months compared to pre-injection level. CONCLUSION: BTX-A injection into salivary glands may improve anterior drooling in patients with brain lesions. Furthermore BTX-A injection into salivary glands may also decrease the posterior drooling which might related to respiratory symptoms in aspiration pneumonia.
Botulinum Toxins ; Botulinum Toxins, Type A ; Brain ; Cerebral Palsy ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; Pneumonia, Aspiration ; Salivary Glands ; Sialorrhea ; Sorbitol ; Stress, Psychological ; Tyramine ; Weights and Measures