INS NYC 2024 Program

Poster	Poster Session 01 Program Schedule 02/14/2024 02:30 pm - 03:45 pm Room: Shubert Complex (Posters 1-60) Poster Session 01: Cognitive, Psychotherapeutic, and Psychosocial Intervention/Rehabilitation Final Abstract #32 Fine Motor Skills in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease Lakia Kearson, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, United States Andrew Heitzer, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, United States Jennifer Longoria, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, United States Victoria Okhomina, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, United States Brian Potter, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, United States Darcy Raches, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, United States Jane Hankins, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, United States Guolian Kang, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, United States Clifford Takemoto, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, United States Category: Medical/Neurological Disorders/Other (Child) Keyword 1: sickle cell disease Keyword 2: motor function Objective: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited blood disorder that increases the risk of neurocognitive deficits across multiple domains. Delays in fine motor functioning have been observed in this population, yet there is limited research assessing factors contributing to fine motor outcomes or the impact that fine motor performance has on academic outcomes. The primary objectives were to assess fine motor performance in SCD compared to normative expectations and to determine demographic, medical, and treatment factors contributing to fine motor outcomes. Secondarily, we sought to determine how fine motor performance contributed to academic outcomes. Participants and Methods: Three hundred seventy-six patients (59% HbSS/HbSß⁰-thalassemia and 41% HbSC/HbSßþ^-thalassemia), ages 8–24, received serial neuropsychological assessments as part of a larger lifetime cohort study. The most recent assessment was used for all patients. Patients on average, were 13.25 years of age (SD=4.19). Fine motor skills were assessed using measures of graphomotor processing speed (Coding subtest of Wechsler scales), visual-motor integration (Beery VMI), and fine motor dexterity (Grooved Pegboard). Math and Reading performance were measured using the Math Facts Fluency and Letter-Word Identification subtests from the Woodcock-Johnson, Third and Fourth Editions. Fine motor scores were compared with normative values using one-sample t-tests. Multivariable regression models were used to measure associations between demographic, medical, and treatment factors with fine motor performance. The final models were chosen through Akaike Information Criterion (AIC)-based stepwise selection. Results: Patients with SCD scored below normative expectations on all measures of fine motor performance (p < .0001). In multivariable analyses, male sex was associated with poorer performance on graphomotor processing speed (p<0.001) and dominant hand fine motor dexterity (p<0.001). There was an inverse relationship between age and performance on a measure of visual-motor integration (p<0.001). Lower household socioeconomic status was associated with poorer performance on graphomotor processing speed (p<0.001) and visual-motor integration (p<0.001). Medical factors (increased oxygen saturation and longer duration of hydroxyurea use) also demonstrated associations with measures of fine motor performance (all p<0.05). When accounting for demographic and medical covariates, as well as overall cognitive abilities (4-subtest IQ), visual-motor integration was associated with reading outcomes (p=0.01), while graphomotor processing speed and dominant hand fine motor dexterity were associated with math outcomes (both p<0.001). Conclusions: Patients with SCD exhibit deficits in fine motor functioning. These deficits appear to worsen with age and are more prevalent in males. Higher oxygen saturation and longer duration of hydroxyurea use are associated with better fine motor development. Fine motor weaknesses are associated with poor academic performance even when accounting for global cognitive abilities, which can negatively impact attainment of academic skills. Early interventions targeting fine motor skills are needed to alter the trajectory of performance.

Poster

02/14/2024
02:30 pm - 03:45 pm
Room: Shubert Complex (Posters 1-60)

Poster Session 01: Cognitive, Psychotherapeutic, and Psychosocial Intervention/Rehabilitation

Final Abstract #32

Fine Motor Skills in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease

Lakia Kearson, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, United States
Andrew Heitzer, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, United States
Jennifer Longoria, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, United States
Victoria Okhomina, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, United States
Brian Potter, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, United States
Darcy Raches, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, United States
Jane Hankins, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, United States
Guolian Kang, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, United States
Clifford Takemoto, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, United States

Category: Medical/Neurological Disorders/Other (Child)

Keyword 1: sickle cell disease
Keyword 2: motor function

Objective:

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited blood disorder that increases the risk of neurocognitive deficits across multiple domains. Delays in fine motor functioning have been observed in this population, yet there is limited research assessing factors contributing to fine motor outcomes or the impact that fine motor performance has on academic outcomes. The primary objectives were to assess fine motor performance in SCD compared to normative expectations and to determine demographic, medical, and treatment factors contributing to fine motor outcomes. Secondarily, we sought to determine how fine motor performance contributed to academic outcomes.

Participants and Methods:

Three hundred seventy-six patients (59% HbSS/HbSß⁰-thalassemia and 41% HbSC/HbSßþ^-thalassemia), ages 8–24, received serial neuropsychological assessments as part of a larger lifetime cohort study. The most recent assessment was used for all patients. Patients on average, were 13.25 years of age (SD=4.19). Fine motor skills were assessed using measures of graphomotor processing speed (Coding subtest of Wechsler scales), visual-motor integration (Beery VMI), and fine motor dexterity (Grooved Pegboard). Math and Reading performance were measured using the Math Facts Fluency and Letter-Word Identification subtests from the Woodcock-Johnson, Third and Fourth Editions. Fine motor scores were compared with normative values using one-sample t-tests. Multivariable regression models were used to measure associations between demographic, medical, and treatment factors with fine motor performance. The final models were chosen through Akaike Information Criterion (AIC)-based stepwise selection.

Results:

Patients with SCD scored below normative expectations on all measures of fine motor performance (p < .0001). In multivariable analyses, male sex was associated with poorer performance on graphomotor processing speed (p<0.001) and dominant hand fine motor dexterity (p<0.001). There was an inverse relationship between age and performance on a measure of visual-motor integration (p<0.001). Lower household socioeconomic status was associated with poorer performance on graphomotor processing speed (p<0.001) and visual-motor integration (p<0.001). Medical factors (increased oxygen saturation and longer duration of hydroxyurea use) also demonstrated associations with measures of fine motor performance (all p<0.05). When accounting for demographic and medical covariates, as well as overall cognitive abilities (4-subtest IQ), visual-motor integration was associated with reading outcomes (p=0.01), while graphomotor processing speed and dominant hand fine motor dexterity were associated with math outcomes (both p<0.001).

Conclusions:

Patients with SCD exhibit deficits in fine motor functioning. These deficits appear to worsen with age and are more prevalent in males. Higher oxygen saturation and longer duration of hydroxyurea use are associated with better fine motor development. Fine motor weaknesses are associated with poor academic performance even when accounting for global cognitive abilities, which can negatively impact attainment of academic skills. Early interventions targeting fine motor skills are needed to alter the trajectory of performance.