NO RELATION BETWEEN GENERAL LAXITY AND ATLANTOAXIAL INSTABILITY IN CHILDREN WITH DOWN-SYNDROME

Atlantoaxial instability in children with Down syndrome (DS) may be ca used by laxity of the transverse ligament. We tested the hypothesis th at general laxity might predict atlantoaxial instability. General laxi ty and the atlantoaxial distance were assessed in 172 children with DS (aged 6-17 years; 45% girls, 55% boys). No significant correlation wa s noted between these two measures with either univariate or multivari ate methods of statistical analysis.