Use of accelerometer to measure physical activity and sedentary behaviour of children and adolescents with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.

• Grant number: 23/09489-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2024
• End date: December 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Ana Cláudia Mattiello-Sverzut
• Grantee: Daisy de Souza Santos
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior are important markers of general health. Children and adolescents with chronic neurological diseases such as Charcot Marie Tooth polyneuropathies (CMT), spina bifida (SB) and myopathies (MP) have in common mobility impairment, which predisposes to sedentary behavior and physical deconditioning. Studies with objective measures of PA in this population are still incipient, and information of this nature can support interventions. In this context, the aim of this study is to quantitatively measure PA and sedentary behavior in children and adolescents with chronic neurological diseases. Also, associations between PA, sedentary behavior, disease severity and mobility will be investigated. This is an exploratory and cross-sectional study in which 20 participants with SB, CMT or MP aged between 5 and 18 years will wear triaxial accelerometers (ActiGraph wGT3X-BT) on their wrist for 7 days. Data will be collected on: 1) mobility (Functional Mobility Scale and walking level); 2) disease severity (CMTPedS-br, MFM); 3) Daily PA volume (average counts/minute); 4) Time of sedentary behavior; 5) PA volume on weekdays and weekends (average counts/minute). Additional information from diaries will integrate the analysis and processing of the raw data using the ActiLife software (6.13.4). With the SPSS program (IBM Statistics 25) descriptive analyzes and Spearman correlation tests will be performed with the PA variables, sedentary behavior, disease severity and mobility, adopting a significance level of 0.05.