Assessment Of Function In Children Research Articles

Home Videos for Remote Assessment in Children with Disabilities: A Scoping Review.

Background: Analysis of parent-provided home videos is a mode of technology that can facilitate a telehealth assessment, allowing observation of function in the child's natural home environment. This scoping review investigated areas of use of home videos for functional assessment by health professionals with a pediatric population with disabilities. Methods: Four databases were searched for articles in which parent-provided home videos were employed by health professionals for functional assessment in children with disabilities. Articles published from 2013 to 2023 were included in the review if they met the inclusion criteria, and the data were extracted into an Excel file. Results: After screening 3,019 articles, 30 articles were included in the data extraction. The majority of studies utilized home videos for diagnosis of autism, followed by assessment of motor development in infants. Studies found that using home videos for assessment is feasible and empowers parents. The validity and reliability of various home video platforms were demonstrated. Conclusions: Analysis of home videos can aid in making a timely diagnosis for prompt intervention, and can be used to assess various body functions, interchangeable with a live clinic assessment. It is important to provide parents with clear instructions when using this method. Future studies are necessary to determine whether parent-provided home videos can be utilized by a multidisciplinary team to assess diverse factors, including activity, participation, and the environment, in a variety of populations of children with disabilities, thus extending services beyond the physical borders of the clinic.

Measures of Function in Physical Therapy Assessment of Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Clinical Audit

Introduction. The assessment of outcomes in children with cerebral palsy (CP) is important for monitoring their progress, evaluating interventions, and guiding health policies. This study aimed to (1) identify the most common outcome measures used in the clinics to assess function in children with CP, and (2) determine whether the outcome measures used in the clinics meet the current standards of assessment for the purpose of improving patient care decisions, research, and quality assurance. Methods. A retrospective record audit study design was used to determine if the current practice in the clinics on the assessment of function in children with CP meets the current standards of assessment. Results. 96 charts with initial evaluation were reviewed from 5 pediatric institutions within Metro Manila that agreed to participate in this study. 18 out of these 96 charts (18.7%) met the current standards of assessment using gross motor function measure (GMFM), whereas 78 out of these 96 charts (81.3) used a descriptive type of assessment such as gait analysis (GA) [20.9%], activities of daily living (ADL) analysis [79.1%], functional muscle testing (FMT) [44.2%], gross motor skills assessment [37.2%], advanced motor skills assessment [23.3%], balance assessment [4 .7%], developmental milestone assessment [2.3%], and self-adaptive measure [2.3%]. Discussion. The findings showed that most clinics prefer to use a descriptive type to assess function in children with CP. Furthermore, it was revealed that the pediatric institutions that agreed to participate in this study did not meet the current standards of assessment.

Validity and Reliability of the Turkish Version of School Function Assessment in Children with Special Needs

ABSTRACT Background To assess the validity and reliability of the Turkish Version of School Function Assessment in children with special needs. Methods School children between 6 and 12 years of age with special needs and their typically developing counterparts participated in the study. The School Function Assessment (SFA) was the main outcome with the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory providing data for the convergent construct validity analysis. Results The SFA’s convergent construct validity analysis results were satisfactory. There were no differences between genders, and significant differences between children with and without special needs; showing an acceptable discriminative construct validity and known-group validity for the SFA. The Cronbach’s alpha scores were over 0.90 for all domains, showing an excellent internal consistency. Implications for School Health Policy, Practice and Equity Wide usage of the SFA in school settings can enable tailoring specific educational and rehabilitative interventions through making the children’s limitations and strengths within the school context clear. Conclusions The results indicate that the Turkish version of the SFA is a valid and reliable assessment tool for school children with disabilities. This tool can help teachers and therapists to understand children’s school functioning.

Serum TGF-β1 and VEGF Levels Reflect the Liver Hardness and Function in Children with Biliary Atresia.

Objective This study further explored the wind direction correlation analysis between serum levels of TGF-β1 and VEGF and liver function assessment in children with biliary atresia. Methods A total of 62 children with biliary atresia (BA) who received surgical treatment in our hospital from October 2020 to October 2021 were selected as the research objects (BA group), and 50 normal healthy children who received routine physical examination in our hospital during the same period were selected as blank control group. Outcome measures included postoperative total bilirubin levels and conjugality of enrolled patients. Bilirubin level, unbound bilirubin level, serum transforming growth factor-beta-1 (TGF-β1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), liver function indicators albumin (ALB), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and other observation indicators were included. All data in this study were collected and analyzed by SPSS 23.0 software, and t-test was performed. Results The serum levels of TGF-β1, VEGF, ALT, AST, GGT, and liver hardness were significantly higher in children with jaundice than those without jaundice, and the serum ALB level was significantly lower than that in children without jaundice (P < 0.05). The levels of TGF-β1 and VEGF in BA group were positively correlated with the levels of ALT, AST, GGT, and liver hardness (P < 0.05) but negatively correlated with the level of ALB (P < 0.05). Conclusion The levels of serum TGF-β1 and VEGF in children with biliary atresia have a certain risk correlation with liver function damage, which will become a research focus on the mechanism of liver fibrosis in the diagnosis and treatment of biliary atresia in children.

The potential of impulse oscillometry in lung function assessment in children after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

The article analyzes the potential of using impulse oscillometry in the diagnosis of respiratory disorders in children with oncological and hematological diseases after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The study was approved by the Independent Ethics Committee and the Scientific Council of the Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology of Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation. A comparative analysis of parameters of impulse oscillometry and spirometry before and on Days 30, 90, 180 and 360 after HSCT was carried out. It was revealed that pulmonary ventilation function impairments are quite common in this group of patients, worsening significantly by month 3 of follow-up. An increase in reactance at a frequency of 5 Hz is one of the earliest signs of impaired respiratory function, which can be used for timely diagnosis of pulmonary complications after allogeneic HSCT.

P090 Comparison of Multiple Breath Washout and particles in exhaled air for assessment of small airway function in children with cystic fibrosis (CF)

P090 Comparison of Multiple Breath Washout and particles in exhaled air for assessment of small airway function in children with cystic fibrosis (CF)

Assessment of left ventricular systolic function in children with iron deficiency anemia by two-dimentional echocardiography and tissue Doppler in Beni- Suef university hospital

Assessment of left ventricular systolic function in children with iron deficiency anemia by two-dimentional echocardiography and tissue Doppler in Beni- Suef university hospital

Application of ICF classification system in functional assessment of children with spinal muscular atrophy

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a rare genetic inherited neuromuscular disease that requires a comprehensive multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis and treatment. Purpose - to provide a review of scientific works on comprehensive care for children with SMA according to the principles of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), standardized tools for assessing the functional status of the patient. Materials and methods. The article presents the data of the literature review on the use of ICF principles in the organization of care for children with SMA, the use of standardized tools for assessing the functional status of the patient. Review and discussion. The implementation of the IСF in daily practice helps to improve the rehabilitation aid to children with SMA. Using the philosophy of the ICF, physicians began to comprehensively assess the health of the child, to estimate the functionality of the child using standardized tools, to form rehabilitation goals in accordance with the functional capabilities of the child, to determine environmental factors which do not allow the child to fully realize their rehabilitation potential. Conclusions. ICF makes it possible to determine of all aspects of the life of a child with SMA and to determine the impact of environmental factors on its level of functioning. According to ICF principles it is necessary to use standardized tools to assess the health status and the functional activity of a child with SMA, for evaluating the effectiveness of rehabilitation. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors. Key words: ICF, spinal muscular atrophy, rehabilitation, functioning.

Assessment of Exercise Function in Children and Young Adults with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and Correlation with Transthoracic Echocardiographic Parameters.

Exercise function is well characterized in adults with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM); however, there is a paucity of data in children and young adults with HCM. Here we sought tocharacterize exercise function in young people with HCM, understand limitations in exercise function by correlating exercise function parameters with echocardiogram parameters and identify prognostic value of exercise parameters. We performed aretrospective, single-center cohort study characterizing exercise function in patients < 26years old with HCM undergoing cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET). Patients with syndromic HCM or submaximal effort were excluded. We compared exercise function in this cohort to population normal values and measured changes in exercise function over time. We correlated exercise function parameters with echocardiographic parameters and investigated the relationship between exercise test parameters and a clinical composite outcome comprised of significant ventricular arrhythmia, death, or heart transplantation. We identified 229 CPETs performed by 117 patients (mean age at time of first CPET 15.6 ± 3.2years). Mean %-predicted peak VO2, O2 pulse, and peak heart rate were statistically significantly depressed compared to population normal values and exercise function gradually worsened over time. Abnormal exercise testing correlated closely with echocardiographic indices of diastolic dysfunction. There was a trend toward increased incidence of poor clinical outcome in patients with abnormal exercise function.While adverse clinical outcomes were rare, normal exercise function appears to be a marker of low risk for adverse clinical outcomes in this population.

Assessment of the respiratory system in children with congenital scoliosis by impulse oscillometry and computed tomography (preliminary results)

BACKGROUND: Segmentation disorder of the vertebral body lateral surfaces and rib synostosis are severe variants of congenital pathology of the spine and thorax. They lead to the development of thoracic insufficiency syndrome and are manifested by the inability of the thorax to provide normal respiratory mechanics.&#x0D; AIM: This study presents the preliminary results of functional and radiological (CT-morphometric) methods of lung examinations in patients with congenital thoracic spine scoliosis with impaired segmentation of the lateral surfaces of the vertebral bodies and unilateral rib synostosis.&#x0D; MATERIALS AND METHODS: This design is represented by a small clinical series. This study is a prospective study of 10 patients aged 3 to 7 years with congenital spinal deformity, with impaired segmentation of the lateral surfaces of vertebral bodies and unilateral rib synostosis. This paper presents the preliminary results of the pulmonary function assessment by pulse oscillometry and CT morphometry in a 3D reconstruction of multispiral computer tomography (MSCT) of the thorax.&#x0D; RESULTS: The study of respiratory function using pulse oscillometry revealed no respiratory impairment in seven observations, also reflected in the CT morphometry results. According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM), three children with detected ventilatory abnormalities showed the following parameters with the most significant changes: total respiratory impedance, resonance frequency, and frequency dependence of the resistive component. In all patients, the morphometric indexes of the lung scoring revealed during 3D modeling of the lung were completely consistent with the results of the lung function study by the IOM method.&#x0D; CONCLUSIONS: Further study of the problem of respiratory function assessment in children with congenital scoliosis seems promising in diagnostic terms and for evaluating effective surgical treatment.

Cardiopulmonary Function Assessment in Children With Pulmonary Valve Stenosis

ObjectivePulmonary valve (PV) stenosis affects cardiac pulmonary function and exercise performance. A cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) combined with a transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) can measure exercise performance, disease progression, and treatment effects. We assessed the exercise capacity in children with PV stenosis by conducting CPET and TTE.MethodsFrom 2005 to 2021, 84 patients with PV stenosis aged 6–18 years were enrolled; 43 were treated with balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty (BPV) (Group A), and 41 received follow-up care (Group B), and their CPET and pulmonary function test results were compared with 84 healthy, matched individuals (Control). We also conducted TTE to compare the peak pulmonary artery pulse wave velocity and pulmonary valve (PV) area before and after catheterization and follow-up care.ResultsThere were no significant differences among the CPET parameters of the patient groups and controls in anaerobic metabolic equivalent (MET) (group A: 6.44 ± 0.58; group B: 6.28 ± 0.47, control: 6.92 ± 0.39, p = 0.110), peak MET (group A: 9.32 ± 0.74; group B: 9.13 ± 0.63; control: 9.80 ± 0.52, p = 0.263), and heart rate recovery (group A: 28.04 ± 4.70; group B: 26.44 ± 3.43, control:26.10 ± 2.42, p = 0.718). No significant differences were found in the pulmonary functions between the three groups. The pulmonary artery pulse wave velocity significantly decreased after catheterization (3.97 ± 1.50 vs. 1.95 ± 0.94, p < 0.0001), but not after follow-up care (1.67 ± 0.77 vs. 1.75 ± 0.66, p = 0.129). The pulmonary vale area significantly improved in group A (0.89 ± 0.71 vs. 1.16 ± 0.58, p < 0.0001), whereas only insignificant progression of PV stenosis was observed in group B (1.60 ± 0.64 vs. 1.57 ± 0.65, p = 0.110).ConclusionsPatients treated with BPV had a similar exercise capacity with that of patients under follow-up care and the healthy controls. Larger or multi-center studies should be conducted to confirm the physical fitness of pediatric patients with PV stenosis after management.

Акустический рефлекс у новорожденных и детей грудного возраста

Acoustic reflexometry is included in the list of complex mandatory screening of newborns in many countries of the world. But, despite this, no more than 65% of doctors include the result in the diagnostic protocol, of which 33% record only the ipsilateral value, and 6% record only the contralateral value. The purpose of this article is to attract attention of children’s audiologists and otorhinolaryngologists to acoustic reflexometry as a method of audiological examination in the objective assessment of auditory function in children. The article addresses the concepts of acoustic reflex, its physiology as well as modern data on the age-related features of such reflex parameters as threshold of acoustic reflex, amplitude of acoustic reflex, and latency of acoustic reflex. Clinical aspects of application of acoustic reflexometry in adults are described, so are available data in the world literature, at the present time, peculiarities of performance and interpretation of stapedial reflex indices in children of the first year of life.

Evaluation of vestibular function in children with purulent media otitis by computer stabilometry

The aim of the research – assessment of vestibular function in children with acute purulent otitis media by computer static stabilometry compared with typically developed children of the same age.&#x0D; Materials and methods: 22 children with purulent otitis media aged 4 to 7 years and 30 practically healthy peers were examined by static stabilometry on the device “MPFI stabilograph 1” (Kharkiv, Ukraine). Indicators of variation and shape of the pressure center distribution, spectral-correlation indicators of stabilograms, as well as integral indicators of stability (length, velocity and angle of postural oscillations) were taken into account and the equilibrium functions of the two sensory states (open and closed eyes) are calculated in the StabiliS software.&#x0D; Results: purulent otitis media causes posterior displacement of the absolute coordinates of the pressure center. In the state with closed eyes, children with purulent otitis differ from their healthy coevals by 14 of 24 stabilometric parameters, including stabilogram length, speed, angle and amplitude of oscillations, giving way to them in the stability of equilibrium. Children with purulent otitis media are more sensitive to the visual canal of postural control than their coevals. Involvement of visual afferents in postural control significantly improves balance maintenance in children with purulent otitis by reducing deviations of postural oscillations, which is reflected in the probable changes of 9 out of 24 stabilometric parameters compared to control.&#x0D; Conclusions: In preschool age, purulent otitis media leads to latent vestibular dysfunction, which is manifested by a violation of the stability of the vertical posture in a state with closed eyes and is compensated by visual-vestibulo-proprioceptive integration in the process of postural control.

Stabilometric assessment of vestibular function in children with a medium otitis

Otitis media is one of the most common infectious diseases of the middle ear in preschool age, but its relationship with vestibular dysfunction remains controversial.&#x0D; The aim of the study was to carry out a comparative analysis of stabilometric indicators of preschool children with suppurative and non-suppurative otitis media.&#x0D; Materials and methods: 22 children with suppurative otitis media and 22 children with non-suppurative otitis media at the age from 4 to 7 years were examined by the method of static stabilometry on the device “MPFI Stabilograph 1” (LLC "ASTER IT", Kharkov, Ukraine). We took into account the indices of variation and distribution of the center of pressure, spectral and correlation indices of the stabilogram, as well as integral indices of stability (length, velocity and angle of postural oscillations) and the quality of the balance function in two sensory states (open and closed eyes), which were calculated in the software providing StabiliS.&#x0D; Results. In children with non-suppurative otitis media, the coordinates of the center-of-pressure corresponded (7.04 [2.16–10.09]; -1.14 [-28.90–9.11]), and with suppurative otitis media – (7.04 [3.30–16.16]; -13.72 [(-25.17)–(-10.30)]) with closed eyes. The averaged figure of the projection of the center-of-pressure in the test with eyes closed is actually represented by a circle in both groups, but with open eyes it is represented by an ellipse, which, in case of non-suppurative otitis media, is stretched along the sagittal axis, and in case of suppurative otitis media, along the frontal axis. In both sensory states, children with non-suppurative otitis media were characterized by large (p≤0.05) values of KurtosisX, Length and lower (p≤0.05) values of CC0X, Pup2Sigma compared with non-purulent otitis media.&#x0D; Conclusions: In preschool age, suppurative otitis media more significantly disrupts the balance function compared with non-suppurative otitis media, which was manifested by a significant decrease in the stability of the main stance and the predictability of oscillatory movements compared with non-suppurative otitis media

Artificial intelligence to improve efficiency of administration of gross motor function assessment in children with cerebral palsy.

To create a reduced version of the 66-item Gross Motor Function Measure (rGMFM-66) using innovative artificial intelligence methods to improve efficiency of administration of the GMFM-66. This study was undertaken using information from an existing data set of children with cerebral palsy participating in a rehabilitation programme. Different self-learning approaches (random forest, support vector machine [SVM], and artificial neural network) were evaluated to estimate the GMFM-66 score with the fewest possible test items. Test agreements were evaluated (among other statistics) by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Overall, 1217 GMFM-66 assessments (509 females, mean age 8y 10mo [SD 3y 9mo]) at a single time and 187 GMFM-66 assessments and reassessments (80 females, mean age 8y 5mo [SD 3y 10mo]) after 1 year were evaluated. The model with SVM predicted the GMFM-66 scores most accurately. The ICCs of the rGMFM-66 and the full GMFM-66 were 0.997 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.996-0.997) at a single time and 0.993 (95% CI 0.993-0.995) for the evaluation of the change over time. The study shows that the efficiency of the full GMFM-66 assessment can be increased by using machine learning (self-learning algorithms). The presented rGMFM-66 score showed an excellent agreement with the full GMFM-66 score when applied to a single assessment and when evaluating the change over time.

Routine Vestibular Function Assessment in Children With Congenital CMV: Are We Ready?

Routine Vestibular Function Assessment in Children With Congenital CMV: Are We Ready?

Multimodal longitudinal respiratory function assessment in very low birth weight 7-year-old children

PurposePreterm birth is associated with adverse pulmonary outcomes. We aimed to evaluate respiratory morbidities and lung function of very low birth weight (VLBW) Polish children followed up at the age of 7 years old, and to compare with electrical impedance segmentography (EIS) results recorded at 4 years of age. Materials and methodsVLBW children were compared with term controls using impulse oscillometry and spirometry. Perinatal data and current respiratory morbidities were analyzed and pulmonary function test results were compared with previous EIS results. ResultsWe included 40 VLBW children and 30 controls in the analysis. Elevated total airway resistance and forced expiratory volume in the first second below the lower limit of normal were more prevalent in VLBW children compared with term controls (15 vs 0%; 18 vs 0%). A positive bronchodilator response was more common in VLBW children (R5 Hz: 46 vs 13.3%; R5–20 ​Hz: 65 vs 36.7%). Children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) had higher total airway resistance (R5 Hz/R5 Hz pred: 1.35 vs 0.95; p ​< ​0.001), large airway resistance (R20 Hz/R20 Hz pred: 0.89 vs 0.66; p ​= ​0.001), small airway resistance (R5–20 ​Hz: 0.57 vs 0.34 ​kPa ​L−1 ​s−1; p ​= ​0.009), than controls. Strong correlation between BDR in EIS and R5 Hz/R5 Hz pred was observed in children with BPD (r ​= ​0.7). ConclusionVLBW school-aged children with BPD presented with substantial respiratory morbidity and persistent reduction of lung function, affecting small and large airways and lung parenchyma. EIS may be an alternative tool for lung function assessment in children with BPD.

Abstract 17002: Assessment of Exercise Function in Children With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Introduction: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) accounts for nearly half of pediatric cardiomyopathies. While impaired exercise function has been described in adults with HCM, little is known about exercise function in children with HCM. Hypothesis: Children with HCM have impaired exercise function. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed. Pts &lt;21 years with a diagnosis of HCM with a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) between November 1, 2002 and May 31, 2019 were included. Pts with syndromic HCM were excluded. CPETs with respiratory exchange ratio &lt;1.09 were excluded. We compared indices of exercise performance to established population normal values using one-sample T-tests. In pts with multiple CPETs, we compared indices of exercise performance from the first to last CPET using paired T-tests. Results: We identified 124 pts with 240 CPETs. The average age at time of CPET was 14.8 ± 3.0 years. Average %predicted peak VO2 (78 ± 20%) was significantly less than the population average (p &lt;0.01), though there was wide variability (range 35-152% predicted). Peak VO2 was &lt;85% predicted in 67%, &lt;50% predicted in 7%, and absolute peak VO2 was &lt;25 cc/kg/min in 30% of tests. However, %predicted peak VO2 was &gt;100% in 13% of tests. The %predicted peak O2 pulse (88 ± 21%; p &lt;0.01; a surrogate for the forward stroke volume at peak exercise) and the %predicted peak heart rate (88.0 ± 12%; p &lt;0.01) were significantly lower than established population normal values. In 63 pts with multiple CPETs, significant declines in %predicted peak VO2 (83 ± 20% v. 75 ± 19%; p &lt;0.01) and O2 pulse (92 ± 22% v. 86 ± 21%; p &lt;0.01) were observed at an average interval of 4.5 years. We found no statistically significant association between %predicted peak VO2 and interventricular septal thickness, resting left ventricular outflow tract gradient or echocardiographic indices of diastolic left ventricular function. Conclusions: Exercise function is at least moderately impaired in a substantial portion of children with HCM and this impairment tends to worsen over time. However, there is a significant subset of patient with remarkably well-preserved exercise function. Echocardiographic measurements did not correlate with exercise function in our cohort.

Content Validity and Reliability of the Persian Version of School Function Assessment in Children With Cerebral Palsy Aged 7-12 Years

Objective: Cerebral Palsy is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in children. Due to the increase in the number of students with Cerebral Palsy (CP) entering ordinary schools and facing problems with independent functioning, there is a need for a valid and comprehensive assessment tool for their successful entry as well as providing a proper treatment plan. The School Function Assessment (SFA), by measuring many school-related functional skills, can identify the strengths and weaknesses affecting the students’ independence and participation in school assignments. It has 320 items and three main parts of participation, task support, and activity performance. The test score can be reported in general or based on each part, separately. The purpose of this study is to examine the validity and reliability of the Persian version of the SFA in children with CP. Materials &amp; Methods: This is a cross-sectional study with methodological design. The study population consists of all children with CP aged 7-12 years in Tehran. Of these, 120 were selected from exceptional public school using a convenience sampling method. The inclusion criteria were: CP diagnosed by a neurologist, age between 7 and 12 years, no other disabilities (e.g. deafness or blindness), and the willingness of children’s parents to participate in the study. A demographic form and the Persian SFA were used for data collection through interview. In order to measure the content validity, Content Validity Index (CVI) and Content Validity Ratio (CVR) were calculated according to the standard protocol of International Quality of Life Assessment. In this regard, 8 experts in the field of pediatrics completed the Persian SFA. To determine the test-retest reliability, the questionnaire was completed by the parents of children with a 4-week interval. The internal consistency and test-retest reliability were examined by using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC), respectively. Data was analyzed in SPSS V. 22 software. Results: Participants were 64 boys and 56 girls with CP (mean age= 9.4 years). The distribution of CP was as follows: 10% hemiplegic CP, 27.5% diplegic CP, 5.8% monoplegic CP, and 56.7% quadriplegic CP. Eighty hundred-eight percent of respondents were the mothers of students. The CVR and CVI values were in a range of 0.7-1 and 0.87-1, respectively indicating an acceptable validity. All the items had acceptable content validity. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was obtained 0.95 for participation, 0.95-0.99 for task support, 0.83-0.99 for activity performance, and 0.92 in total. Moreover, the ICC value was reported 0.90 for participation; 0.84-0.91 for task support; 0.84-0.97 for activity performance; and 0.89 for the overall test. Conclusion: The Persian version of SFA has acceptable content validity and reliability (internal consistency and test-retest) for children with CP. Therefore, it can be applied as a research and clinical tool to assess the school-related performance of these children.

A novel index equivalent to the myocardial performance index for right ventricular functional assessment in children and adolescent patients

The aims of the present study were to develop and check the utility and feasibility of a novel right ventricular (RV) functional index (RV angular velocity; RVω, s−1) derived from the angular velocity in harmonic oscillator kinematics obtained from the RV pressure waveform. We hypothesized that RVω reflects the myocardial performance index (MPI), which represents global RV function. A total of 132 consecutive patients, ranging in age from 3 months to 34 years with various cardiac diseases were included in this prospective study. RVω was defined as the difference between the peak derivative of pressure (dP/dt_max − dP/dt_min) divided by the difference between the maximum and minimum pressure (Pmax – Pmin). RVω showed significant negative correlations with the pulsed-wave Doppler-derived myocardial performance index (PWD-MPI) and the tissue Doppler imaging-derived MPI (TDI-MPI) (r = −0.52 and −0.51, respectively; both p < 0.0001). RVω also showed significant positive correlations with RV fractional area change (RVFAC) and RV ejection fraction (RVEF) (r = 0.41 and 0.39, respectively; both p < 0.0001), as well as a significant negative correlation with tricuspid E/e′ (r = −0.19, p = 0.0283). The clinical feasibility and utility of RVω for assessing global RV performance, incorporating both systolic and diastolic function, were demonstrated.