RecruitingNot Applicable

Ultrasonographic Assessment of Muscle Morphology, Function, and Clinical Findings in Spastic Cerebral Palsy

Turkey (Türkiye)36 participantsStarted 2025-12-15

Plain-language summary

This study focuses on children with spastic cerebral palsy and aims to examine how muscle morphology and tissue characteristics, as assessed by ultrasound, may relate to functional motor abilities. It is designed as a prospective, cross-sectional, observational study. Planned ultrasound-based assessments include parameters such as muscle thickness, pennation angle, fascicle length, echo intensity, tissue stiffness (via shear wave elastography), and microvascular flow (via superb microvascular imaging). These measurements are intended to be compared with standard clinical evaluations, including the GMFCS, GMFM-66, MAS, MACS, and Tardieu Scale. The study seeks to contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between muscle architecture and functional outcomes, with the goal of generating insights that may inform individualized rehabilitation planning.

Who can participate

Age range4 Years – 18 Years

SexALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of spastic cerebral palsy (SCP) according to the criteria defined by Rosenbaum et al. (2007) * Age between 4 and 18 years * Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) Level I, II, or III * Manual Ability Classification System (MACS) Level I, II, III, or IV Exclusion Criteria: * Non-spastic types of cerebral palsy (e.g., dyskinetic, ataxic) * Diagnosis of neuromuscular disorders other than cerebral palsy (e.g., hereditary neuropathy, myopathy) * Presence of muscle contractures or fixed deformities in the limbs selected for ultrasound and clinical assessment * Cognitive or behavioral impairments that prevent cooperation during ultrasound or clinical evaluation * Botulinum toxin-A (BoNT-A) injection applied to the target muscles within the last 6 months * Current treatment with oral or intrathecal antispastic medications * History of orthopedic surgery or selective dorsal rhizotomy involving the target muscles * Acute infection, febrile illness, or severe systemic disease (e.g., advanced heart failure, respiratory insufficiency) that may compromise the safety of assessments

What they're measuring

Relationship between muscle morphology parameters and motor function in children with spastic cerebral palsy

Timeframe: At baseline (single assessment session)

Comparison Between Modified Heckmatt Scale and Quantitative Echo Intensity in Spastic Muscles

Timeframe: At baseline (single assessment session)

Trial details

NCT IDNCT07118228

SponsorKocaeli University

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeOBSERVATIONAL

Primary completion2026-03-30

Contact for this trial

Mustafa Kadıoğlu, MD

+90 262 303 75 00 mustafa.kadioglu@kocaeli.edu.tr

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Muscle Spasticity trials

Plain-language summary

Who can participate

Age range4 Years – 18 Years

SexALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

What they're measuring

Relationship between muscle morphology parameters and motor function in children with spastic cerebral palsy

Timeframe: At baseline (single assessment session)

Comparison Between Modified Heckmatt Scale and Quantitative Echo Intensity in Spastic Muscles

Timeframe: At baseline (single assessment session)