Cerebral Palsy (CP) is the most common cause of motor handicap in childhood. CP is caused by damage to the developing brain, resulting in limits in movement, posture, or communication ability. CP affects about one newborn on 450. Pain management is one of the major expectations of CP patients (La Foundation Motrice, 2009) but in this population, pain is not recognized and inadequately treated.
Autonomic nervous system (ANS) is the automatic part of our nervous system regulating vital functions like cardiac beats or respiration. It is divided in sympathetic and parasympathetic. Analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) allows isolation of variations due to parasympathetic and their study. Works from the CIC-IT 807 lead to creation of an index called ANI (Analgesia Nociception Index), which is very sensitive to pain. It is validated on adults (Jeanne, 2012). It could be helpful to assess pain in CP, particularly in patients with communication disabilities. It is important to study this new tool in CP children before developing clinical applications.
Main objective of this study is to demonstrate that ANI is relevant in CP children and that it is sensitive to pain like in adults. Population will be 40 CP children (6-18y) receiving rehabilitation therapy in specialized centres. Duration of the study is 2 years. Parent's consent should be obtained. Investigators will record heart rate of children in 3 conditions in their rehabilitation centres: usual position, acute procedural pain (botulinum toxin injections), and recurrent pain (physiotherapy). Parameters will be calculated in CIC-IT 807 lab (heart rate, ANI). Values of ANI and heart rate before and after painful stimulations will be compared. Correlation between ANI and results of usual pain assessment tools (rFLACC scale, visual analog scale) or characteristics of the population will be analyzed.
Lille University Hospital and CIC-IT 807 lab will collaborate with 2 pediatric rehabilitation centers: Centre Marc Sautelet and Zuydcoote Hospital.
Expected result is that ANI is relevant to CP children. Clinical applications are multiple: pain assessment, adaptation of medical equipment.
