CClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT03888443BE-APIUpdated Sep 23, 2019

"Be an Airplane Pilot": A Bimanual 3D Motion Analysis in Children With Unilateral Cerebral Palsy

An observational study in Unilateral Spastic Cerebral Palsy, sponsored by Rennes University Hospital. Completed at 1 site in France. Open to participants aged 6 Years to 17 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2019-09-23.

Sponsored by Rennes University Hospital · Observational

Study type
Observational
Model
Case-control
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
40
Ages
6 Years to 17 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Cerebral Palsy, in particular in its unilateral spastic form (uCP), is the main cause of motor disability in children, with a prevalence of 2/1000 births. These children have upper limb motor impairments that hinder the realization of activities of daily life in bimanual situations. 3D motion analysis (3DMA) is an objective and precise tool, considered as the gold standard for gait analysis. The existing 3DMA protocols consist of movements too standardized, in unimanual situations away from gestures of everyday life, or have not been validated in bimanual situations.

In a preliminary study, a 3DMA bimanual protocol was study. it was composed of 4 tasks integrated into a game scenario to have more spontaneity of movements, similar to those experienced by children in daily life. It allows the exploration of all degrees of freedom of the upper limb. Results showed an excellent acceptability and within day reliability on 20 uCP children and 20 typically developing children (TDC) for funct

Read the detailed description

This is a prospective study for evaluation of a diagnostic and therapeutic tool.

"Be An Airplane Pilot" 3DMA:

The protocol consists of 5 complementary bimanual tasks that are integrated into a scenario game of "becoming an airplane pilot". It allows the exploration of all degrees of freedom of the UL kinematics of the non-dominant/hemiplegic.

The protocol will take place in a session that corresponds to the driving of an airplane and includes several tasks which consist of 5 repetitions of movements (= 5 cycles).

The kinematics of the trunk (flexion-extension, lateral flexions and rotations), shoulder (elevation, plane of elevation, rotations), elbow (flexion-extension and pronosupination) and wrist (flexion-extension and adduction/abduction) will be explored. The calculated kinematic parameters are the range of motion (ROM) and the maximum angle (MAX) of the degrees of freedom (DoF) of interest.

Group 1: uCP children without botulinum toxin injections

The 3DMA protocol will be performed in two sessions separated from 2-4 weeks to explore the between day reliability in uCP children.

During the first session, this will be associated to physiotherapist and occupational therapist evaluation in order to correlate kinematic parameters to clinical score. During the first session, this will be associated to clinical assessment (muscle strength and tone, pinch, grasp) by a physiotherapist and bimanual performance-based measures (Assisting Hand Assessment (AHA) and Abilhand-kids) by an occupational therapist.

Group 2: uCP children with botulinum toxin injections

Five uCP children will perform the BE-API protocol before and after botulinum toxin injections in the upper limb. This treatment is used for its effect on the local reduction of spasticity after intramuscular injection. It is usually proposed to these children every 6-8 months.

Visit 1 is similar to Group 1 with 3DMA, occupational therapy and physiotherapy.

The second 3DMA will be done during the planned visit for toxin injections (2 to 4 weeks after visit 1) and before treatment administration. Injections of botulinum toxins will be followed by rehabilitation's intensification for 4 weeks (physiotherapy and home exercise) according to the usual care of treated patients.

During Visit 3, 4 to 6 weeks after treatment by botulinum toxin injections, children will have 3D analysis for the third time, with assessment in physiotherapy and occupational therapy, comparable to the Visit 1.

Group 3: healthy volunteers (TDC children)

Their participation in the study will consist of a single visit, during which they will realize the 3DMA protocol only.

Clinical measures

For uCP children, with or without toxin injections, descriptive characteristics such as age, sex, hemiplegic side, as well as Manual Ability Classification System (MACS), Bimanual Fine Motor Function (BFMF) and Modified House Classification will be collected in consultation.

The physiotherapy will do a clinical examination of the upper limbs: passive and active measurement of the range of motion by goniometry, muscle strength, motor selectivity, spasticity, grasp and pinch test, and sensitivity.

The evaluation of the bimanual performance will be carried out by a certified occupational therapist with a validated scale: the Assisting Hand Assessment (AHA) and a questionnaire: the Abiland-Kids (10) which will be filled with the parents

02

Conditions studied

  • Unilateral Spastic Cerebral Palsy

Keywords

  • Unilateral cerebral palsy
  • three-dimensional movement analysis
  • upper limb
  • bimanual task
  • bimanual performance
03

In context

Muscle Spasticity

704 studies on the registry are indexed under Muscle Spasticity; 149 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 40 is below the median of 60 across 162 observational studies indexed under Muscle Spasticity.

Browse Muscle Spasticity studies →

Lead sponsor

Rennes University Hospital is the lead sponsor of 440 studies on the registry; 51 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
6 Years to 17 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

  • Children with unilateral spastic Cerebral Palsy and a sufficient level of manipulation followed in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in Rennes University Hospital
  • Safe volunteers will be recruited among children of the staff of the Rennes University Hospital (except children unit of Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation) and the M2S laboratory.

Inclusion criteria

uCP children

  • Child aged from 6 to 17,
  • With Cerebral Palsy as defined by the SCPE, in unilateral spastic form.
  • Sufficient level of manipulation (MACS score from I to III)

TDC children

  • Child aged from 6 to 17

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria :

uCP children

  • Cognitive deficit altering the comprehension of the instructions or visual disturbances not allowing the visualization of the board game
  • Upper limb pain (EVA score> 3),
  • Botulinum toxin injections or upper extremity surgery in the 3 months before inclusion
  • Contraindication to the use of botulinum toxins and no indications as mentioned in the recommendations HAS 2010

TDC children

  • Visual disturbances not allowing the visualization of the board game
  • Upper limb pain (EVA score> 3),
05

Study design

Observational model
Case-control
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
40 participants (actual)
Patient registry
No

Groups and cohorts

  • uCP children

    15 Children aged from 6 to 17 with unilateral spastic Cerebral Palsy and a sufficient level of manipulation will realize the bimanual protocol twice separated from 2 to 4 weeks

    Device: Bimanual 3D Motion Analysis " Be-API "

  • uCP children with botulinum toxin injections

    5 children aged from 6 to 17 with unilateral spastic Cerebral Palsy and a sufficient level of manipulation will realize the bimanual protocol three times

    Device: Bimanual 3D Motion Analysis " Be-API "

  • healthy volunteers (TDC children)

    20 children aged from 6 to 17 (healthy volunteers) will realize the bimanual protocol once

    Device: Bimanual 3D Motion Analysis " Be-API "

Interventions

  • DeviceBimanual 3D Motion Analysis " Be-API "

    Movements will be measured using an optoelectronic system (12 cameras) which captures the displacement of 26 markers placed on the upper limbs and trunk of the child, according to the standards of the International Society of Biomechanics. The child is installed on a chair and table height (equipment adapted and approved for pediatrics). A game board is installed in front of the child, with objects to handle, set and placed according to its anthropometry (joystick, steering wheel, buzzer, board, chip).

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Primary outcome: Between-day reliability of kinematic parameters (MAX and ROM) will be studied by calculating a between-day Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC) and the Standard Measurement Errors (SEM) from the ICC.

    Two kinematic parameters will be studied: MAX (Maximum angle value) and ROM (Range of Motion) parameters, measured in degrees. Outcome measures : * Between-day reliability of MAX will be studied by calculating a between-day Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC). * Between-day reliability of ROM will be studied by calculating a between-day Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC). From ICC, Standard Measurement Errors (SEM) can be calculated. SEM represents from how much degree, it can be considered that the fluctuation is unrelated to chance.

    Time frame: At the end of the participation to the study for each uCP children (2- 4 weeks maximum)

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Rennes University Hospital
    Rennes, 35000, France
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Cacioppo M, Lempereur M, Marin A, Rauscent H, Cretual A, Brochard S, Bonan I. Motor patterns of the impaired upper limb in children with unilateral cerebral palsy performing bimanual tasks. Clin Biomech (Bristol). 2022 Jul;97:105710. doi: 10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2022.105710. Epub 2022 Jun 22. PubMed 35763887 ↗
  • Cacioppo M, Marin A, Rauscent H, Le Pabic E, Gaillard F, Brochard S, Garlantezec R, Cretual A, Bonan I. A new child-friendly 3D bimanual protocol to assess upper limb movement in children with unilateral cerebral palsy: Development and validation. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2020 Dec;55:102481. doi: 10.1016/j.jelekin.2020.102481. Epub 2020 Oct 10. PubMed 33091791 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Undecided

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Sep 23, 2019, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03888443
Lead sponsor
Rennes University Hospital
Collaborators
M2S lab, IPSEN, biopharmaceutical group (financial support)
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Mar 25, 2019
Start date
Feb 13, 2019
Primary completion
Jun 26, 2019
Completion
Jun 26, 2019
Last update
Sep 23, 2019

Study contacts

Isabelle bonan
principal investigator · Rennes University Hospital

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Feb 2019. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

Follow this study

Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.

Sign in to follow

Discussion

Questions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.

Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.

Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.

Start the discussion