Comparison of oxygen consumption measurements in children with cerebral palsy to children with muscular dystrophy

Children with muscular dystrophy (MD) offer a unique opportunity to measure the effect of weakness on gait efficiency as they experience weakness not usually accompanied by other disabilities affecting gait. Oxygen consumptio n measurements were collected from eight patients with MD and eight patient s with cerebral palsy (CP), A statistically significant difference in oxyge n cost and oxygen consumption while walking between patients with CP and pa tients with MD was found despite their common inability to walk similar dis tances. Oxygen cost and oxygen consumption were elevated within the CP popu lation, whereas all measurements for the MD population were within normal r anges. The measurements show that a patient can have normal oxygen cost and oxygen consumption while walking and yet be functionally limited because o f weakness. Caution should be taken when using oxygen cost and oxygen consu mption as sole outcome measures for patients with CP, because these measure s may be insensitive to changes in strength.