Dynamic Gait Index as a Functional Gait Assessment Measure in Children With JIA

Sponsor
Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa
Study ID
NCT06870045
Status
Recruiting
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Conditions

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
8 Years - 16 Years
Healthy Volunteers
Accepted

Interventions

  • Physical examination — OTHER
    The physical examination will included Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), Walking speed, Wong-Baker FACES Pain Scale, Pediatric balance scale and CHAQ (Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire).
  • Dynamic Gait Index — OTHER
    The DGI, whose validity and reliability will be investigated, consists of 8 items: walking on level ground, walking with changing speed, walking with sideways head turns, walking with vertical head turns, walking with pivot turns, walking over obstacles, going around obstacles, and climbing stairs. Performance on each item is rated on a 4-point scale ranging from 0 (severe impairment) to 3 (normal walking ability without a walking aid). The total score is 24. Scores below 19 indicate a risk of falling, while scores above 22 define safe ambulation.

Study Details

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is one of the most common chronic rheumatic diseases seen in childhood. Pain, joint swelling and loss of function caused by inflammation significantly reduce the patients' quality of life and lead to muscle weakness, limited range of motion and gait disorders. Although there are various clinical assessment methods, there is no functional test in the current literature that evaluates walking in children with JIA. The Dynamic Gait Index (DGI) is a functional walking scale that evaluates walking on level ground, walking while changing speed, walking with sideways head turns, walking with vertical head turns, walking with pivot turns, walking by jumping over obstacles, going around obstacles and climbing stairs. While the DGA is widely used in the clinical assessment of walking in older adults and other pediatric patient groups, it has not yet been investigated for the assessment of walking difficulties in children with JIA. This study aimed to determine whether the DYI is a usable tool for assessing walking in children with JIA.

Key Dates

Start date
Feb 1, 2025
Status verified
Jun 2026
Primary completion
Sep 30, 2026
Completion
Oct 31, 2026

Study Design

Enrollment
52 participants (estimated)

Arms

  • Arm: Patient group
    This group will be created with children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
  • Arm: Healthy control group
    This group will be created with age matched healthy volunteers.

Primary Outcome Measure

Dynamic Gait Index [ Time Frame: Baseline and after 2 weeks from the baseline evaluation ]

Central Contacts

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