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Relationship Between Nutritional Status and Severity of Cerebral Palsy: A Multicentre Cross-Sectional Study
Yiting Zhao1, Hongmei Tang2, Tingting Peng2
1Department of Rehabilitation, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University; Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Child Health; Department of Sports and Health, Guangzhou Sport University, Guangzhou.
Insights
Nutritional problems are common in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Undernutrition severity correlates with impaired gross motor function and eating/drinking abilities, not typically with blood indicators.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Neurology
- Public Health
Background:
- Nutritional issues are prevalent in children with cerebral palsy (CP).
- The link between nutritional status and CP severity remains poorly understood.
- Understanding this relationship is crucial for effective clinical management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the nutritional status and characteristics of children with CP in China.
- To investigate the association between CP severity and nutritional status.
- To explore the utility of blood indicators in reflecting nutritional status in this population.
Main Methods:
- A multicenter, cross-sectional study involving 1,151 children with CP.
- Nutritional status assessed via weight and height (z-scores), Subjective Global Nutritional Assessment (SGNA).
- Severity classified using Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) and Eating and Drinking Ability Classification System (EDACS).
Main Results:
- Over half (50.8%) of participants exhibited undernutrition.
- Higher GMFCS and EDACS levels (IV-V) were significantly associated with increased odds of moderate to severe undernutrition.
- Most blood indicators, except serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, did not differ significantly across nutritional status groups.
Conclusions:
- Undernutrition in children with CP is strongly linked to the severity of motor and eating/drinking impairments.
- Standard blood indicators may not accurately reflect the nutritional status of children with CP.
- Clinical assessment tools like GMFCS and EDACS are vital for identifying nutritional risks.
Background:
Nutritional problems are common in children with cerebral palsy (CP), yet the relationship between nutritional status and the severity of CP is unclear.
Objective:
To describe the nutritional status and characteristics of children with CP, and to explore the relationship between severity of CP and nutritional status in children.
Methods:
This multicentre cross-sectional study included children with CP in China. Weight and height were measured and converted to z-scores. Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), Eating and Drinking Ability Classification System (EDACS), Subjective Global Nutritional Assessment (SGNA), social life ability, and blood indicators were tested.
Results:
All 1,151 participants were given oral-feeding and 50.8% of them demonstrated undernutrition. Compared with those in GMFCS or EDACS levels I-III, the odds of moderate and severe undernutrition were 2.6 and 8.9 times higher in GMFCS levels IV and V, and 4.3 and 12.6 times higher in EDACS levels IV and V, respectively. Except for serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, no significant differences were found in blood indicators among normal, undernourished and overnourished groups.
Conclusion:
Degrees of undernutrition in children with CP are correlated with the severity of eating and drinking dysfunction and with gross motor impairment. Blood indicators may not reflect nutritional status in children with CP.
