Interventions for managing weight change following paediatric acquired brain injury: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Pediatrics
• Endocrinology

Background:

• Acquired brain injury (ABI) in children can lead to significant weight changes, impacting overall health and recovery.
• Effective interventions for weight management post-ABI are crucial for improving long-term outcomes in pediatric populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review existing literature on interventions aimed at managing weight changes in children following acquired brain injury.
• To identify evidence gaps and guide future research and clinical practice in this specialized area.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive systematic literature search was performed using advanced search strategies.
• The search yielded 1562 papers, with 30 ultimately included for analysis, involving a total of 759 pediatric participants.

Main Results:

• A significant lack of high-quality evidence was found regarding weight change interventions for pediatric acquired brain injury.
• Considerable heterogeneity was observed in screening methods, outcome measures, intervention strategies, and reporting practices.
• Hypothalamic-sparing surgery showed some promise in preventing obesity after craniopharyngioma resection.

Conclusions:

• Further research is urgently needed to establish effective interventions for weight management in pediatric acquired brain injury.
• Standardization of screening, outcome measures, and reporting is recommended to improve the quality of evidence in this field.
• Clinical practice guidelines require robust evidence, highlighting the need for well-designed studies.