All issues > Volume 36(2); 1993

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1993;36(2):179-184. Published online February 15, 1993.

A Study on the Atlantoaxial Instability in Children with Down syndrome

Sa Young SY Kim¹, Chan Yung CY Kim¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, Pusan National University, College of Medicine, Pusan, Korea

Abstract

To evaluate the atlantoaxial instability in children with Down syndrome, the authors analyzed the 97 children with Down syndrome attending to 2 schools for handicaped children in Pusan. The results of study were as follows; 1) The incidence of atlantoaxial instability in 97 individuals with Down syndrome was 8(8.3%) in neutral position and in 10(10.3%) in flexion, respectively. 2) The mean atlantoaxial gap was significantly higher in patients with Down syndrome than in the control group(p<0.05). 3) The mean atlantoaxial gap in patients with Down stydrome according neck position was significantly higher in flexion(3.27¡¾1.08mm) than in neutral(2.63¡¾1.18) (p<0.05). 4) When mean atlantoaxial gaps of patients with down syndrome were analyzed according to age groups, young age groups were statistically higher than old age groups in flexion position (p<0.05) but no statistically signigican differences were noted in neutral position. 5) The mean atlantoxialo gap of obese group was slightly higher than those of non-obese group but no statistically significant difference was noted (p<0.05).

Keywords :Atlantoaxial instability, Down syndrome