Cerebral palsy in preterm infants
Background/Aim. Cerebral palsy (CP) is one of the leading causes of neurological impairment in childhood. Preterm birth is a significant risk factor in the occurrence of CP. Clinical outcomes may include impairment of gross motor function and intellectual abilities, visual impairment and...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Military Health Department, Ministry of Defance, Serbia
2016-01-01
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| Series: | Vojnosanitetski Pregled |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0042-8450/2016/0042-84501600019D.pdf |
| Summary: | Background/Aim. Cerebral palsy (CP) is one of the leading causes of
neurological impairment in childhood. Preterm birth is a significant risk
factor in the occurrence of CP. Clinical outcomes may include impairment of
gross motor function and intellectual abilities, visual impairment and
epilepsy. The aim of this study was to examine the relationships among
gestational age, type of CP, functional ability and associated conditions.
Methods. The sample size was 206 children with CP. The data were obtained
from medical records and included gestational age at birth, clinical
characteristics of CP and associated conditions. Clinical CP type was
determined according to Surveillance of Cerebral Palsy in Europe (SCPE) and
topographically. Gross motor function abilities were evaluated according to
the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). Results. More than
half of the children with CP were born prematurely (54.4%). Statistically
significant difference was noted with respect to the distribution of various
clinical types of CP in relation to gestational age (p < 0.001). In the group
with spastic bilateral CP type, there is a greater proportion of children
born preterm. Statistically significant difference was noted in the
functional classification based on GMFCS in terms of gestational age (p =
0.049), children born at earlier gestational age are classified at a higher
GMFCS level of functional limitation. The greatest percentage of children
(70.0%) affected by two or more associated conditions was found in the group
that had extremely preterm birth, and that number declined with increasing
maturity at birth. Epilepsy was more prevalent in children born at greater
gestational age, and this difference in distribution was statistically
significant (p = 0.032). Conclusion. The application of antenatal and
postnatal protection of preterm children should be a significant component of
the CP prevention strategy. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije,
br. 41012 i br. 44008] |
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| ISSN: | 0042-8450 2406-0720 |