NCT04784026

Dual Task Gait Performance in Pediatric Oncology Patients

Comparison of Single and Dual Task Gait Performance in Pediatric Oncology Patients With Healthy Control Group

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 40 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 6 Years – 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Cancer incidence, which is recognized as the leading cause of death in children worldwide, is gradually increasing. Most studies on children who survive cancer show that the disease and its treatment have side effects and long-term late effects on the musculoskeletal system, physical function, gait and cognitive skills. Therefore, dual task gait performance, in which cognitive and motor tasks are performed simultaneously, may be affected in pediatric oncology patients. The aim of this study is to compare gait performance in single and dual task conditions in pediatric oncology patients with healthy controls.

Detailed description

Cancer incidence, which is recognized as the leading cause of death in children worldwide, is gradually increasing. About 300,000 children aged 0 to 19 are diagnosed with cancer each year, according to the international study where the International Agency for Research on Cancer collected data on neoplasms (malignant and non-malignant) diagnosed in individuals under 20 years of age between 2001-2010. Most studies on children who survive cancer show that the disease and its treatment have side effects and long-term late effects on the musculoskeletal system, physical function, gait and cognitive skills. According to the study of Beulertz et al. (2016), active ankle dorsiflexion limitation, gait disturbances and decrease in walking efficiency were observed in all pediatric oncology patients, which have an important role in walking, not limited to children with bone tumors and central nervous system tumors.Intensive chemotherapy (eg methotrexate) and the use of radiation are thought to cause damage to cortical and subcortical white matter, resulting in late effects. Symptoms consistent with attention deficit disorder and mental processing speed, working memory, executive function and memory deficits put cancer survivors at an intellectual and academic disadvantage. Therefore, dual task gait performance, in which cognitive and motor tasks are performed simultaneously, may be affected in pediatric oncology patients. The aim of this study is to compare gait performance in single and dual task conditions in pediatric oncology patients with healthy controls.

Conditions

• Pediatric Cancer

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Gait assessment (single)	The single walk will be evaluated with a 10-meter walking test and a G-Walk portable device.
OTHER	Dual task gait assessment (motor+motor)	The dual task gait, 10-meter walking test and a motor (carrying a full water glass) will be combined with the task and evaluated with the G-Walk portable device.
OTHER	Dual tak gait assessment (motor+cognitive)	The dual task gait will be combined with a 10-meter walking test and a cognitive (1-back test) task and evaluated with the G-Walk portable device.

Timeline

• Start date: 2021-03-01
• Primary completion: 2023-03-20
• Completion: 2023-03-20
• First posted: 2021-03-05
• Last updated: 2021-03-05

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Turkey (Türkiye)