Analysis of Pulmonary Functions in Pediatrics With Spastic Cerebral Palsy: A Pediatric Innovative Study

Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) is a non-progressive developmental condition that impacts movement and posture. It results from damage to the developing brain and can lead to various motor impairments that limit physical activities. Children with CP may experience respiratory issues, including limited chest wall movement and weakened respiratory muscles, which can cause inadequate alveolar ventilation, difficulty clearing airways, and shortness of breath. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the pulmonary function of children with CP. Additionally, it sought to investigate differences in lung function based on the distribution of paralysis.  Methods: Sixteen children of both genders, aged ۳ to ۱۶ years, diagnosed with CP, participated in the study. They were selected from the Pediatric Rehabilitation Center. The outcomes were assessed using Geratherm Respiratory Blue Cherry software to measure vital capacity (VC), forced expired volume in one second (FEV۱), FEV۱/FVC, FEV۱/VC, and peak expiratory flow (PEF), providing objective information for monitoring lung health.  Results: An unpaired t-test indicated that there was a significant difference between children with CP and their normative values in terms of VC, FEV۱, and PEF, with P of ۰.۰۳۸, ۰.۰۴۴, and ۰.۰۰۱۲۵, respectively. However, there was no significant difference between the groups in terms of FEV۱/FVC and FEV۱/VC, with P of ۰.۰۶۶ and ۰.۰۷۶, respectively. Regarding PEF, there was a statistically significant difference between patients with diaplegia and normative values for the same age and sex (۰.۰۰۵). In terms of VC and FEV۱/VC, the pairwise comparisons revealed statistically significant differences between patients with diplegia and normative values for the same age and sex (P=۰.۰۱ and P=۰.۰۰۲, respectively).  Conclusions: Children with CP exhibit poor PEF and respiratory muscle weakness.

کلیدواژه ها:

Cerebral palsy (CP) ، Respiratory function tests ، Pediatrics