Clinics (Jan 2008)

Comparative study of skin folding of dominant and nondominant hemibodies in spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy

  • Osmair Gomes de Macedo,
  • João Gilberto Carazzato,
  • Eduardo de Souza Meirelles,
  • Adilson de Paula,
  • Carlos Alberto dos Santos,
  • Raul Bolliger Neto,
  • Rames Mattar Júnior

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1590/S1807-59322008000500006
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 63, no. 5
pp. 601 – 606

Abstract

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OBJECTIVE: To compare skin folds in the dominant and nondominant halves of the body in a group (A) of 20 individuals with cerebral palsy and spastic hemiplegia and a group (B) of 30 normal volunteers. METHOD: Body mass, height and skin folds were measured, and the percentage of body fat was estimated by adipose tissue measurement and densitometry. The mean age in group (A) was 24.6 ± 5.6 years (ranging from 16.1 to 38.1 years). The mean age in group (B) was 25.3 ± 3.8 years (ranging from 19.0 to 34.11 years). RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were observed between the dominant and nondominant halves of the body for biceps, triceps, thoracic, suprailiac, thigh and midcalf skin folds in group A; the biceps, subscapular, midaxillary, suprailiac, abdominal, thigh and midcalf skin folds in group B; and the percentage fat obtained by adipose tissue measurement in both groups. Statistically significant differences were observed for the triceps skin fold when the dominant halves of the body in groups A and B were compared. Statistically significant differences were also observed for the biceps, triceps, thigh and midcalf skin folds as well as the adipose tissue measurements between the dominant and nondominant halves of the body in the two groups. The percentage fat as estimated by densitometry was significantly correlated with the adipose tissue measurement. CONCLUSION: There were statistically significant differences between the skin folds in the dominant and nondominant halves of the body, both in group A and in group B (greater in group A). There was a statistically significant correlation in the percentage fat as estimated by densitometry and as measured by adipose tissue in groups A and B.

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