Risk Factors For Cerebral Palsy Research Articles

Cerebral palsy characteristics in term-born children with and without detectable perinatal risk factors: A cross-sectional study.

To compare, in term-born children with cerebral palsy (CP), the characteristics of those who exhibit detectable risk factors for CP at birth with those who do not. This was a cross-sectional study of term-born children using the Canadian Cerebral Palsy Registry comparing those with and without perinatal risk factors and/or neonatal symptoms for pregnancy, birth and neonatal characteristics, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, CP subtype, and impairment severity. Risk factors were quantified with a CP risk calculator. Multivariable and multinomial regressions were expressed as odds ratios (OR) and relative risk ratios. Of 1333 term-born children, 781 (58.6%) had complete variables for the CP risk calculator, of whom 195 (25%) had 'undetectable' newborn infant CP risk, and they did not have greater postneonatal brain injury. Focal injury on MRI was more common (OR 2.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3-3.1) than in the 'detectable' group. The 'undetectable' group had more unilateral CP (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.3-2.6), less severe motor impairment (OR 0.76, 95% CI 0.67-0.86), and were more verbal (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.5-3.6). In the Canadian CP Registry, one-quarter of term-born children lacked neonatal encephalopathy, seizures, or perinatal risk factors. They were more likely to have unilateral CP, focal MRI findings, and communicate with words than children with risk factors or neonatal symptoms.

Cerebral palsy in children: A clinical practice review

Cerebral palsy is a disorder characterized by abnormal tone, posture, and movement. In clinical practice, it is often useful to approach cerebral palsy based on the predominant motor system findings – spastic hemiplegia, spastic diplegia, spastic quadriplegia, extrapyramidal or dyskinetic, and ataxic. The prevalence of cerebral palsy is between 1.5 and 3 per 1,000 live births with higher percentage of cases in low to middle income countries and geographic regions. Pre-term birth and low birthweight are recognized as the most frequent risk factors for cerebral palsy; other risk factors include hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, maternal infections, and multiple gestation. In most cases of cerebral palsy, the initial injury to the brain occurs during early fetal brain development. Intracerebral hemorrhage and periventricular leukomalacia are the main pathologic findings found in preterm infants who develop spastic cerebral palsy. The diagnosis of cerebral palsy is primarily based on clinical findings. Early recognition of infants at risk for cerebral palsy as well as those with cerebral palsy is possible based on a combination of clinical history, use of standardized neuromotor assessment and findings on magnetic resonance imaging; however, in clinical practice, cerebral palsy is more reliably diagnosed by 2 years of age. Magnetic resonance imaging scan is indicated to delineate the extent of brain lesions and to identify congenital brain malformations. Genetic testing and tests for inborn errors of metabolism are indicated to identify specific disorders, especially treatable disorders. Because cerebral palsy is associated with multiple associated and secondary medical conditions, its management requires a sustained and consistent collaboration among multiple disciplines and specialties. With appropriate support, most children with cerebral palsy grow up to be adults with good functional abilities.

Prenatal Exposure to Ambient Air Pollution and Cerebral Palsy

Air pollution is associated with structural brain changes, disruption of neurogenesis, and neurodevelopmental disorders. The association between prenatal exposure to ambient air pollution and risk of cerebral palsy (CP), which is the most common motor disability in childhood, has not been thoroughly investigated. To evaluate the associations between prenatal residential exposure to ambient air pollution and risk of CP among children born at term gestation in a population cohort in Ontario, Canada. Population-based cohort study in Ontario, Canada using linked, province-wide health administrative databases. Participants were singleton full term births (≥37 gestational weeks) born in Ontario hospitals between April 1, 2002, and March 31, 2017. Data were analyzed from January to December 2022. Weekly average concentrations of ambient fine particulate matter with a diameter 2.5 μm (PM2.5) or smaller, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3) during pregnancy assigned by maternal residence reported at delivery from satellite-based estimates and ground-level monitoring data. CP cases were ascertained by a single inpatient hospitalization diagnosis or at least 2 outpatient diagnoses for children from birth to age 18 years. The present study included 1 587 935 mother-child pairs who reached term gestation, among whom 3170 (0.2%) children were diagnosed with CP. The study population had a mean (SD) maternal age of 30.1 (5.6) years and 811 745 infants (51.1%) were male. A per IQR increase (2.7 μg/m3) in prenatal ambient PM2.5 concentration was associated with a cumulative hazard ratio (CHR) of 1.12 (95% CI, 1.03-1.21) for CP. The CHR in male infants (1.14; 95% CI, 1.02-1.26) was higher compared with the CHR in female infants (1.08; 95% CI, 0.96-1.22). No specific window of susceptibility was found for prenatal PM2.5 exposure and CP in the study population. No associations or windows of susceptibility were found for prenatal NO2 or O3 exposure and CP risk. In this large cohort study of singleton full term births in Canada, prenatal ambient PM2.5 exposure was associated with an increased risk of CP in offspring. Further studies are needed to explore this association and its potential biological pathways, which could advance the identification of environmental risk factors of CP in early life.

Cerebral palsy risk in relation to parental age: insights from a matched case-control study

BackgroundCerebral palsy, a prevalent childhood physical disability, exhibits complex multifactorial causes. This case-control study explores the role of parental age in cerebral palsy risk and associated patterns.MethodsA case-control study comparing children with cerebral palsy at ages 3 months to 3 years with age-matched healthy control subjects was conducted between January 2022 and August 2023 at Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, Nigeria. Cases were recruited from the pediatric physiotherapy outpatient clinic, while controls were selected from pediatric and children emergency wards. Data were collected retrospectively from electronic medical records. Risk factors were evaluated using conditional logistic regression models.ResultsWe studied 134 subjects with cerebral palsy and 134 age-matched control subjects. Significant risk factors for cerebral palsy included the maternal age 35–39 years (odds ratio 2.16, P < 0.005), maternal age ≥ 40 years (odds ratio 3.83, P < 0.005), paternal age 41–45 (odds ratio 2.00, P < 0.05), paternal age ≥ 46 (odds ratio 6.80, P < 0.05), primiparous (odds ratio 2.2, P < 0.05), paternal low income (odds ratio 2.49, P < 0.05), paternal primary education (odds ratio 24.61, P < 0.05), and maternal primary education (odds ratio 2.39, P < 0.05).ConclusionsThis research contributes to our understanding of parental age as risk factors associated with cerebral palsy in children. The results also underscore the importance of demographic and socioeconomic factors, especially father’s level of income, maternal parity, and parental education. These findings can guide future research and public health interventions aimed at reducing the burden of cerebral palsy.

Partnering Early to Provide for Infants At Risk of Cerebral Palsy (PĒPI ARC): protocol for a feasibility study of a regional hub for early detection of cerebral palsy in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Cerebral palsy (CP) can now be diagnosed in infants with identified CP risk factors as early as three months of age; however, many barriers prevent equitable access to early detection pathways. The "Partnering Early to Provide for Infants At Risk of Cerebral Palsy" feasibility study (PĒPI ARC) seeks to trial a new approach to decrease inequitable health service in Aotearoa New Zealand for high-risk infants and their families. PĒPI ARC incorporates face-to-face clinics, an in-person and virtual Hub, and the use of telehealth to enable flexible access to CP assessments and support for health professionals in early CP detection. A non-randomised feasibility study was conducted from a tertiary Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Wellington and included seven regional referral centres, servicing nearly 30% of the total population in New Zealand (NZ). The families of infants with a high risk of neurodevelopmental impairment and health professionals interacting with the Hub were invited to participate. Mixed methods were used to evaluate the (i) equitable implementation of an early detection pathway, (ii) acceptability, (iii) demand among families and health professionals, (iv) efficacy in relation to reducing the age of receipt of CP diagnosis, and (v) the experiences around communication and information sharing. The NZ Health and Disability Ethics Committee approved this study (HDEC: 2022 FULL 13434). The findings will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals, in conference presentations, and via professional networks. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12623000600640.

Variables included in cerebral palsy registries globally: A scoping review.

To identify cerebral palsy (CP) variables collected in CP registries from high-income countries (HICs) and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to assist with the development of a regional CP registry relevant to the African region. A systematic search of online databases to identify peer-reviewed publications and grey literature about CP risk-factor variables, using Ovid MEDLINE, Embase Ovid, CINAHL, and Google Scholar. A total of 197 studies published from global CP registries between 1990 and 2023 were identified. CP registries both from HICs and from LMICs included variables on prenatal CP risk factors. LMIC registries focused more on socioeconomic factors (the physical structure of the family home [21.1%, n = 8, in LMICs vs 1.7%, n = 2, in HICs]). Prenatal modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors were emphasized in HICs. LMIC registries included more postnatal CP risk-factor variables than HIC registries, including history of postnatal jaundice (15.8%, n = 6, in LMICs vs 6.9%, n = 8, in HICs) and postnatal head trauma (10.5%, n = 4, in LMICs vs 5.2%, n = 6, in HICs). CP registries are currently more available in HICs than in LMICs. Differences in CP risk factors account for most of the differences in variables included in HICs and LMICs. Comparing variables used by CP registries in HICs and LMICs suggests the importance of understanding contextually relevant factors for regional registry design.

Preterm birth increases cerebral palsy hazards in children of mothers with chronic hypertension in pregnancy

BackgroundChildren of mothers with chronic-hypertension in pregnancy have high rates of preterm-birth (<37 weeks of gestation) and small-for-gestational-age (SGA), both of which are risk factors of cerebral palsy (CP). This study investigated the cumulative risks of CP in children exposed to maternal chronic-hypertension vs. other types of hypertensive-disorders-of-pregnancy (HDP), and whether preterm-birth and SGA potentiate the antenatal impact of chronic-hypertension to increase CP hazards. MethodsThis population-based cohort study enrolled 1,417,373 mother-child pairs with singleton live births between 2004 and 2011 from the Taiwan Maternal and Child Health Database. A total of 19,457 pairs with HDP were identified and propensity-score-matched with 97,285 normotensive controls. Children were followed up for CP outcome until age 6–13 years. HDP were classified into chronic-hypertension, gestational-hypertension, preeclampsia, and preeclampsia-with-chronic-hypertension. Using the normotensive group as the reference, the associations between chronic-hypertension and CP hazard were assessed with adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) in Cox proportional hazards regression models, and the effects of preterm-birth and SGA on the associations were examined. ResultsThe HDP group had higher rates of CP (0.8%) than the normotensive group (0.5%), particularly the subgroup of preeclampsia-with-chronic-hypertension (1.0%), followed by preeclampsia (0.9%), chronic-hypertension (0.7%) and gestational-hypertension (0.6%). Preterm-birth, but not SGA, exerted moderating effects to increase CP risks in children exposed to maternal chronic-hypertension. Before adjustments, chronic-hypertension alone had no substantial contribution to CP hazard (HR 1.35, 95% CI 1.00–1.83), while preeclampsia alone (1.64, 1.28–2.11) or with superimposed-chronic-hypertension (1.83, 1.16–2.89) had significant effects. After including preterm-birth in the multivariable model, the CP hazard for chronic-hypertension alone rather than other types of HDP was raised and became significant (1.56, 1.15–2.12), and the significance remained after stepwise adjustments in the final model (1.74, 1.16–2.60). ConclusionsPreterm-birth might potentiate CP hazards in children of mothers with chronic-hypertension in pregnancy.

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Cerebral Palsy in Children With Congenital Heart Disease Based on Risk of Surgical Mortality

BackgroundChildren with congenital heart disease (CHD) have a higher prevalence of motor impairment secondary to brain injury, resulting in cerebral palsy (CP). The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of CP in CHD in a single-center cohort, stratify risk based on surgical mortality using Society of Thoracic Surgeons-European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (STAT) categories and identify risk factors. MethodsRetrospective cohort study of pediatric patients registered in the University of Florida (UF) Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery database from 2006 to 2017 with a diagnosis of CHD who continued follow-up for more than two years at UF. ResultsA total of 701 children with CHD met inclusion criteria. Children identified to have CP were 54 (7.7%). Most common presentation was spastic hemiplegic CP with a Gross Motor Function Classification System of level 2. Analysis of surgical and intensive care factors between the two groups showed that children with CHD and CP had longer time from admission to surgery (P = 0.003), higher STAT categories 4 and 5 (P = 0.038), and higher frequency of brain injury and seizures (P < 0.001). Developmental disabilities and rehabilitation needs were significantly greater for children with CHD and CP when compared with those with CHD alone (P < 0.001). ConclusionsIn our cohort, 7.7% children with CHD develop CP; this is significantly higher than the 2010 US population estimate of 0.3%. Our study suggests higher STAT categories, brain injury, and seizures are associated with developing CP in children with CHD.

The Knowledge Translation of Early Cerebral Palsy (KiTE CP) Study: Implementing Screening Among a High-Risk Prospective Cohort of Australian Infants

ObjectiveTo describe the implementation of the international guidelines for the early diagnosis of cerebral palsy (CP) and engagement in the screening process in an Australian cohort of infants with neonatal risk factors for CP. Study designProspective cohort study of infants with neonatal risk factors recruited at <6 months CA from 11 sites in the states of Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland, Australia. First, we implemented a multi-modal knowledge translation strategy including barrier identification, technology integration and special interest groups. Screening was implemented as follows: infants with clinical indications for neuroimaging underwent magnetic resonance imaging and/or cranial ultrasound. The General Movements Assessment (GMA) was recorded clinically or using an app (Baby Moves). Infants with absent or abnormal fidgety movements on GMA videos were offered further assessment using the Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination (HINE). Infants with atypical findings on 2/3 assessments met criteria for high risk of CP. ResultsOf the 597 infants (56% male) recruited, 95% (n=565) received neuroimaging, 90% (n=537) had scorable GMA videos (2% unscorable/8% no video), and 25% (n=149) HINE. Overall, 19% of the cohort (n=114/597) met criteria for high risk of CP, 57% (340/597) had at least two normal assessments (of neuroimaging, GMA or HINE), and 24% (n=143/597) had insufficient assessments. ConclusionsEarly CP screening was implemented across participating sites using a multi-modal knowledge translation strategy. Although the COVID-19 pandemic affected recruitment rates, there was high engagement in the screening process. Reasons for engagement in early screening from parents and clinicians warrant further contextualization and investigation.

The Etiologic Risk Factors for Cerebral Palsy at an Orthopedic Surgery Clinic in South Africa

BackgroundCerebral palsy (CP) is a group of disorders that affect movement and posture caused by injury to the developing brain. Although prematurity and low birth weight are common causes in developed countries, birth asphyxia, kernicterus, and infections have been identified as predominant etiologies in Africa. There is, however, very little information on the etiology of CP in South Africa. We aimed to determine the etiology, severity, and topographic distribution of CP in children undergoing orthopedic surgery at our tertiary pediatric unit. MethodA retrospective folder review was performed for patients with CP who underwent orthopedic surgery from July 2018 to June 2022. Data were collected on perinatal circumstances, etiologic risk factors for developing CP, severity of disability as classified by the Gross Motor Function Classification Scale (GMFCS), and topographic distribution. Descriptive analysis was performed. ResultsA total of 202 patients were included in the analysis. Prematurity (gestational age less than 37 weeks) was noted in 41.6% of the cohort and was the most common risk factor. Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (30.7%), postnatal infections (13.4%), congenital brain malformations (10.4%), and cerebral infections were the next most common etiologic risk factors. Forty-eight percent of patients were classified as GMFCS IV or V. There was a predominance of bilateral (69.5%) compared with unilateral (21.3%) subtypes. ConclusionMost patients undergoing orthopedic surgery for musculoskeletal sequelae of CP had GMFCS levels of IV or V and were bilateral subtypes, emphasizing the need for intervention at a primary care level to decrease the incidence of this frequently preventable condition.

Risk factors for cerebral palsy in children in Taiwan.

To determine the significant risk factors of cerebral palsy (CP) in Taiwanese children and the associations between infant-related and parent-related factors. Data from 1 459 093 infants and their parents in Taiwan's national databases collected between 2009 and 2016 were used. The cohort with CP included children diagnosed with CP between birth and age 3 years; a total of 3254 children with CP were included in the final analysis. Hierarchical logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratio for the risk factors of CP. The hierarchical logistic regression models indicated that significant risk factors associated with CP are suburban location, low income, maternal and paternal diabetes mellitus, paternal substance abuse, paternal seizure disorder, male sex, birth by Cesarean section, singleton birth, low birthweight, being born extremely and very preterm, intraventricular hemorrhage, and periventricular leukomalacia, as well as tube feeding, ventilator use, and dopamine administration within 6 months of age. In addition to common maternal and infant risk factors, we identified significant paternal risk factors associated with CP, including diabetes mellitus, seizure disorder, and substance abuse. The combination of maternal, paternal, and infant risk factors in CP holds great promise for early identification and intervention.

Changing panorama in risk factors of cerebral palsy

Background/Aim. The etiology of cerebral palsy (CP) is multifactorial and not yet fully understood. The aim of this study was to determine the changes in CP etiological factors over the past 30 years. Methods. A retrospective study analyzed a database of 296 individuals with CP. Risk factors (RFs) were divided into preconception, antenatal, intrapartum, and neonatal. Patients on the register were divided into three cohorts: those born before 2000, the ones born between 2000 and 2010, and those born after 2010. The changes in CP RFs were investigated at ten-year intervals. Results. The five RFs with the highest total frequency were low birth weight (46.62%), prematurity (44.25%), advanced maternal age - over 35 years (37.16%), emergency cesarean section (33.78%), and birth asphyxia (25.33%). The consanguineous marriage rate was 22.29%. Conclusion. Low birth weight and prematurity rates, which are the most frequently identified RFs, are gradually increasing. The rate of birth asphyxia has decreased in the last ten years. The rate of advanced maternal age is increasing, and consanguineous marriage is still an important RF in Turkey.

Worsening of cerebral palsy following neonatal encephalopathy: A meta-analysis

Cerebral palsy (CP), the most common motor disorder in early childhood, arises from neonatal brain injury. The potential role of neonatal encephalopathy (NE) as a risk factor for cerebral palsy has been postulated, yet a systematic examination of its clinical impact on cerebral palsy patients remains absent. This meta-analysis aims to delineate the incidence of commonly reported complications associated with cerebral palsy following NE compared to those without a history of NE. A systematic search of PubMed and Google Scholar yielded 424 studies, with 7 meeting the inclusion criteria. These studies reported at least one comparison of cerebral palsy symptoms between patients with or without NE and provided the corresponding case numbers for each group. Utilizing RevMan 5.4, we analyzed the data and assessed potential publication bias. Among the 7 studies included, we compared the characteristics of 117 patients with cerebral palsy with preceding NE to 287 without such antecedents. Significantly, the incidence of the spastic quadriplegic subtype of cerebral palsy was higher in patients with NE (odds ratio [OR]: 4.34, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.69 &amp;ndash; 7.00, P &lt; 0.00001). CP patients following NE exhibited a significantly increased incidence of severe communication difficulties (OR: 2.33, 95% CI: 1.32 &amp;ndash; 4.10, P = 0.003), difficulty swallowing (OR: 2.50, 95% CI: 1.31 &amp;ndash; 4.77, P = 0.005), and cognitive impairment (OR: 2.73, 95% CI: 1.45 &amp;ndash; 5.13, P = 0.002). Children with cerebral palsy born following NE were more predisposed to the most severe spastic quadriplegic subtype and encountered significant comorbidities. It is essential to acknowledge the limitations of this study, primarily the small number of studies that separately reported cerebral palsy cases with or without NE. Nevertheless, these findings contribute valuable insights for a more accurate clinical prognosis and the prospective development of targeted treatments for specific complications associated with cerebral palsy in patients with NE.

Sex differences in neonatal brain injury and inflammation.

Neonatal brain injury and associated inflammation is more common in males. There is a well-recognised difference in incidence and outcome of neonatal encephalopathy according to sex with a pronounced male disadvantage. Neurodevelopmental differences manifest from an early age in infancy with females having a lower incidence of developmental delay and learning difficulties in comparison with males and male sex has consistently been identified as a risk factor for cerebral palsy in epidemiological studies. Important neurobiological differences exist between the sexes with respect to neuronal injury which are especially pronounced in preterm neonates. There are many potential reasons for these sex differences including genetic, immunological and hormonal differences but there are limited studies of neonatal immune response. Animal models with induced neonatal hypoxia have shown various sex differences including an upregulated immune response and increased microglial activation in males. Male sex is recognized to be a risk factor for neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) during the perinatal period and this review discusses in detail the sex differences in brain injury in preterm and term neonates and some of the potential new therapies with possible sex affects.

Association between gestational levels of toxic metals and essential elements and cerebral palsy in children.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common motor disability in childhood, but its causes are only partly known. Early-life exposure to toxic metals and inadequate or excess amounts of essential elements can adversely affect brain and nervous system development. However, little is still known about these as perinatal risk factors for CP. This study aims to investigate the associations between second trimester maternal blood levels of toxic metals, essential elements, and mixtures thereof, with CP diagnoses in children. In a large, population-based prospective birth cohort (The Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study), children with CP diagnoses were identified through The Norwegian Patient Registry and Cerebral Palsy Registry of Norway. One hundred forty-four children with CP and 1,082 controls were included. The relationship between maternal blood concentrations of five toxic metals and six essential elements and CP diagnoses were investigated using mixture approaches: elastic net with stability selection to identify important metals/elements in the mixture in relation to CP; then logistic regressions of the selected metals/elements to estimate odds ratio (OR) of CP and two-way interactions among metals/elements and with child sex and maternal education. Finally, the joint effects of the mixtures on CP diagnoses were estimated using quantile-based g-computation analyses. The essential elements manganese and copper, as well as the toxic metal Hg, were the most important in relation to CP. Elevated maternal levels of copper (OR = 1.40) and manganese (OR = 1.20) were associated with increased risk of CP, while Hg levels were, counterintuitively, inversely related to CP. Metal/element interactions that were associated with CP were observed, and that sex and maternal education influenced the relationships between metals/elements and CP. In the joint mixture approach no significant association between the mixture of metals/elements and CP (OR = 1.00, 95% CI = [0.67, 1.50]) was identified. Using mixture approaches, elevated levels of copper and manganese measured in maternal blood during the second trimester could be related to increased risk of CP in children. The inverse associations between maternal Hg and CP could reflect Hg as a marker of maternal fish intake and thus nutrients beneficial for foetal brain development.

Serebral palsili çocuklarda ubiqinitasyon sistemindeki değişiklikler

Objective: We aimed to investigate the levels of Ubiquitin Carboxy Terminal Hydrolase-L1 enzyme (UHC-L1), Transactive Response DNA Binding Protein-43 (TDP-43) and Cullin-3 in peripheral blood associated with ubiquitination processes in children with cerebral palsy (CP).&#x0D; Materials and Methods: We included 50 children with CP in the first patient group. In the control group, there were 30 healthy children who were matched with the patient groups in terms of age and gender. We also recorded risk factors for CP, CP type, botox application, orthosis use, maternal age at birth, and additional problems. Patients aged 6-10 years, diagnosed with CP, without genetic, metabolic disease or mental retardation history were included in this study. &#x0D; Results: There were 32 female and 18 male patients in the CP group, while there were 19 female and 11 male volunteers in the control group. Maternal age was significantly higher in the CP group (p=0.002). In our study, as a result of the comparison between the control group and the CP group in terms of UCH-L1, TDP-43 and Cullin 3 levels; the levels of UCH-L1 (p=0.048), TDP-43 (p=0.028) and Cullin 3 (p=0.042) in the CP group were found to be statistically significantly lower than the levels of the control group.&#x0D; Conclusion: The low serum concentrations of UCHL-L1, Cullin 3 and TDP-43 molecules in the CP group and the statistically positive correlation of these molecules with each other may help to understand the neuronal pathophysiology after disruption of the ubiquitination system.

Pre-pregnancy and pregnancy disorders, pre-term birth and the risk of cerebral palsy: a population-based study.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common cause of childhood physical disability whose aetiology remains unclear in most cases. Maternal pre-existing and pregnancy complications are recognized risk factors of CP but the extent to which their effects are mediated by pre-term birth is unknown. Population-based cohort study in Sweden including 2 055 378 singleton infants without congenital abnormalities, born between 1999 and 2019. Data on maternal and pregnancy characteristics and diagnoses of CP were obtained by individual record linkages of nationwide Swedish registries. Exposure was defined as maternal pre-pregnancy and pregnancy disorders. Inpatient and outpatient diagnoses were obtained for CP after 27 days of age. Adjusted rate ratios (aRRs) were calculated, along with 95% CIs. A total of 515 771 (25%) offspring were exposed to maternal pre-existing chronic disorders and 3472 children with CP were identified for a cumulative incidence of 1.7 per 1000 live births. After adjusting for potential confounders, maternal chronic cardiovascular or metabolic disorders, other chronic diseases, mental health disorders and early-pregnancy obesity were associated with 1.89-, 1.24-, 1.26- and 1.35-times higher risk (aRRs) of CP, respectively. Most notably, offspring exposed to maternal antepartum haemorrhage had a 6-fold elevated risk of CP (aRR 5.78, 95% CI, 5.00-6.68). Mediation analysis revealed that ∼50% of the effect of these associations was mediated by pre-term delivery; however, increased risks were also observed among term infants. Exposure to pre-existing maternal chronic disorders and pregnancy-related complications increases the risk of CP in offspring. Although most infants with CP were born at term, pre-term delivery explained 50% of the overall effect of pre-pregnancy and pregnancy disorders on CP.

Declining incidence of cerebral palsy in South Korea

Presuming that the incidence of cerebral palsy (CP) in Korea is decreasing due to medical advances, we analyzed the trends and risk factors of CP in changing circumstances. We identified all women who delivered a singleton between 2007 and 2015 using the Korea National Health Insurance (KNHI). Information on pregnancy and birth was obtained by linking the KNHI claims database and data from the national health-screening program for infants and children. The 4-years incidence of CP decreased significantly from 4.77 to 2.52 per 1000 babies during the study period. The multivariate analysis revealed that the risk of developing CP was 29.5 times higher in preterm infants born before 28 weeks of gestational age, 24.5 times higher in infants born between 28 and 34 weeks, and 4.5 times higher in infants born between 34 and 36 weeks, compared to full-term appropriate for age (2.5 ~ 4 kg of body weight) infants. 5.6 times higher in those with birth weight < 2500 g, and 3.8 times higher in pregnancies with polyhydramnios. Additionally, respiratory distress syndrome increased the risk of developing CP by 2.04 times, while necrotizing enterocolitis was associated with a 2.80-fold increased risk of CP. In Korea, the incidence of CP in singleton decreased from 2007 to 2015. We need to continue to focus on developing medical technologies for the early detection of high-risk neonates and minimizing brain damage to reduce the incidence rate of CP effectively.

Etiological risk factors in children with cerebral palsy.

To evaluate the etiological risk factors of cerebral palsy, especially the preventable ones. The study was carried out with the mothers of 210 children with cerebral palsy (CP) registered in Mardin Guidance and Research Center between February and May 2022. The data form prepared by the researchers was applied to the mothers by face-to-face interview technique. The data form consisted of 29 questions including sociodemographic characteristics of the child and mother, risk factors for CP, and secondary medical problems of the child. Of the 210 patients included in the study, 43.3% (91) were female and 56.7% (119) were male. The mean age of the children was 67.4 (SD = 50.6) weeks, and 73.3% of children were premature. The number of children with a birth weight below 2500 g was 48.1% (101). The mean birth weight was 2472.5 (SD = 871.8) g. The children with another disabled sibling consisted 6.2% of the population. Among the mothers, 41.9% stated that they were illiterate and 73.3% stated that their income status was low. The rate of the parents that were related to each other was 51%. In our study, it was noteworthy that most of the children were premature, had low birth weight, more than half of them had parents who were relatives, the education level of the mothers was low, the socioeconomic status of most of the families was low, and most of these risk factors were preventable.

Influence of socio- demographic factors on cerebral palsy among children

Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that affect movement and muscle tone or posture. It is caused by damagethat occurs to the immature, developing brain, most often before birth. The present study investigated the influence ofsocio-demographic factors like family type, family size, socio-economic status, and religion on cerebral palsy amongchildren in Dharwad taluk during 2021-22. The sample size was 164 children of 6 to 16 years, on which 82 were cerebralpalsy and 82 were typical children matched with cerebral palsy children. A descriptive matched pair case control design wasused. Self- structured questionnaire and Agarwal’s socio-economic status scale was used for data collection. The result ofthe study revealed that, the incidence of cerebral palsy was high among males (67.10%) than females (32.90%) also firstborn (56.10%) had more risk than later born (43.90%). Majority of families were (84.10%) nuclear with medium size(56.90%). The incidence of cerebral palsy was high among low socio-economic status hence, found a strongassociationbetween cerebral palsy and socio-economic status. Risk factors for cerebral palsy among children when compared tomedium and high socio-economic status