Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument & Brachial Plexus Birth Palsy
Assessment of Children With Brachial Plexus Birth Palsy Using the Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument
Huffman, G Russell MD, MPH*; Bagley, Anita M PhD§; James, Michelle A MD*†‡; Lerman, Joel A MD†‡; Rab, George MD†‡
Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument when using it to determine a baseline level for pediatric patients with Brachial Plexus Birth Palsy when assessing their positive prognostic ability following a reparative shoulder tendon surgery.
Population:
The population used in this study included 23 children with ages ranging from 2 to 10 years old with the average age being 5.6 years old. All 23 candidates must have met all requirements for the External Rotation Tendon Transfer (ERTT) surgery and have the ability to speak English, among other criteria.
Methods:
Each participant of this study was to take the full PODCI, assessing all covered aspects. The scores of the PODCI across each section were the taken and compared to the 2 gold-standard averages from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and the Houston Normative Values (HNV). To analyze the results between the normative values, an unpaired, two-tailed Student t-test was used to assess the significance. Factors with lower significance were subjected to univariate and stepwise multivariate regression analyses. Subjective histories of each participant were also recorded to add depth to the analyses.
Outcome Measures:
The outcome measures included were the full PODCI-114. This outcome measure includes upper extremity function, transfer and basic mobility, comfort and pain, happiness with physical condition, sports and physical function, and global function.
Interventions:
No interventions were given to the children of this study.
Results:
Compared with the normative data on the PODCI from AAOS and the HNV, children with Brachial Plexus Birth Palsy (BPBP) who were candidates for the External Rotation Tendon Transfer (ERTT) scored lower in UE function, sports, and global function for both the AAOS and HNV. Mobility and transfers were only statically significantly lower on the HNV.
Conclusion:
This study demonstrates that the PODCI can be used to appropriated identify functional differences between the normative values and experimental groups. Results from this study will aid in identifying appropriate BPBP candidates for ERTT.
Strengths:
This study used gold-standard normative values to compare to its experimental group. Using the gold-standard here helps to validify all other results gained from this study.
Limitations:
The main limitation I can see comes from using such a small experimental group. From 23 participants, there can only be so much data gained. I would be curious of the results from a bigger sample and if they would line up to the results gained from the 23 tested the first time.
One response to “Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument & Brachial Plexus Birth Palsy”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
This is a very insightful article and I think this will be a very influential outcome measure for not only determining the appropriateness of ERTT surgery but also tracking the progress of pt’s who have undergone the procedure.