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Published on: December 14, 2014
Does antenatal tobacco or alcohol exposure influence a child's cerebral palsy? A population-based study
Paulina Kyriakopoulos1, Maryam Oskoui, Lynn Dagenais
1Division of Pediatric Neurology, Montreal Children's Hospital-McGill University Health Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Insights
Prenatal exposure to tobacco or alcohol does not alter the clinical profile of cerebral palsy (CP). This study found no association between in utero substance exposure and CP subtypes or severity.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Public Health
Background:
- Antenatal tobacco and alcohol exposure are known risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes, including premature birth and cerebral palsy (CP).
- The impact of these exposures on the specific clinical presentation of CP in affected children remains largely uncharacterized.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether prenatal exposure to tobacco or alcohol is associated with differences in the clinical profile of children diagnosed with cerebral palsy.
- To compare neurologic subtypes, gross motor function, and comorbidities in children with CP based on in utero exposure status.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the Quebec Cerebral Palsy Registry for children born between 1999-2002.
- Compared children with CP who were or were not prenatally exposed to alcohol or tobacco regarding clinical characteristics.
- Information on in utero exposure was available for 249 children, with 77 exposed to alcohol and 62 to tobacco.
Main Results:
- No significant association was found between in utero tobacco or alcohol exposure and the neurologic subtype of CP.
- Prenatal substance exposure did not correlate with the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) score.
- The mean number of comorbidities and specific comorbidities explored showed no significant difference based on antenatal exposure, even after adjusting for prematurity or low birth weight.
Conclusions:
- In utero exposure to tobacco or alcohol does not appear to influence the clinical phenotype of cerebral palsy.
- These exposures are not predictive factors for differentiating the clinical profiles of children with CP.
Abstract:
Antenatal tobacco and alcohol exposure are established risk factors for premature birth and an independent risk factor for cerebral palsy. Both exert adverse effects on fetal development. In children with cerebral palsy, whether antenatal exposure to tobacco or alcohol is associated with a difference in clinical profile remains unknown. The Quebec Cerebral Palsy Registry was used to compare neurologic subtypes, gross motor functional impairment, and comorbidities in children with cerebral palsy who were or were not prenatally exposed to alcohol or tobacco. Information on in utero exposure was available in 249 children with cerebral palsy born from 1999-2002, of whom 77 were exposed to alcohol and 62 to tobacco in utero. No association was evident between exposure to tobacco or alcohol during pregnancy and neurologic subtype, Gross Motor Function Classification System score, mean number of comorbidities experienced, or each of eight comorbidities explored. Adjusting for prematurity or low birth weight exerted no effect on these results. In utero exposure to tobacco or alcohol does not assist in predicting clinical profiles of cerebral palsy.
