Cerebral palsy in preterm infants.

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Neurology
• Developmental Pediatrics
• Public Health

Background:

• Cerebral palsy (CP) is a leading cause of childhood neurological impairment.
• Preterm birth is a major risk factor for developing CP.
• CP can result in motor, intellectual, visual impairments, and epilepsy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between gestational age and CP characteristics.
• To analyze how gestational age influences CP type, functional ability, and associated conditions.

Main Methods:

• Study included 206 children diagnosed with CP.
• Data collected from medical records included gestational age, CP type, and comorbidities.
• CP classification used the Surveillance of Cerebral Palsy in Europe (SCPE) system.
• Gross motor function assessed using the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS).

Main Results:

• Over half (54.4%) of children with CP were born prematurely.
• Gestational age significantly correlated with CP type (p < 0.001), with spastic bilateral CP more common in preterm infants.
• Earlier gestational age was linked to higher GMFCS levels (p = 0.049), indicating greater functional limitation.
• Extremely preterm infants had the highest rates of multiple associated conditions (70.0%).
• Epilepsy prevalence was higher in infants born at greater gestational ages (p = 0.032).

Conclusions:

• Gestational age is a critical factor influencing CP presentation and severity.
• Antenatal and postnatal care for preterm infants is vital for CP prevention.
• Targeted interventions for preterm infants may mitigate CP-related outcomes.