Prevalence of cerebral palsy and factors associated with cerebral palsy subtype: A population-based study in Belgium
Evy Dhondt1, Bernard Dan2, Frank Plasschaert3
1Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Insights
Cerebral palsy (CP) affects 1.48 per 1000 births in Belgium. Risk factors like maternal age and brain injury influence CP subtypes, impacting motor and speech functions, necessitating tailored interventions.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Neurology
- Public Health
Background:
- Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of disorders affecting movement and posture, with varying prevalence and risk factors globally.
- Understanding CP subtypes, their associated risk indicators, and functional outcomes is crucial for early diagnosis and intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence, neuroimaging patterns, and functional outcomes of children with CP in Belgium (birth years 2007-2012).
- To identify specific risk indicators for different CP subtypes and analyze outcome differences between them.
Main Methods:
- Data from the Belgian Cerebral Palsy Register included antenatal, perinatal, neonatal factors, motor/speech function, and neuroimaging.
- Prevalence was calculated per 1000 or 10,000 live births based on CP type.
- Multinomial logistic regression analyzed the impact of risk factors and neuroimaging on CP subtype likelihood and functional impairments.
Main Results:
- Identified 1127 children with CP, with an overall birth prevalence of 1.48 per 1000 live births.
- Maternal age ≥35, mechanical ventilation, and grey matter injury increased dyskinetic CP risk.
- Multiple previous deliveries were linked to ataxic CP; both subtypes showed higher rates of motor, speech, and intellectual impairments.
Conclusions:
- Distinctive risk indicators and outcome differences between CP subtypes were identified.
- These findings can aid in early, accurate CP subtype classification.
- This knowledge supports tailored neonatal care and early intervention strategies for children with CP.
Aim:
To report on the prevalence, neuroimaging patterns, and function of children with cerebral palsy (CP) in Belgium for birth years 2007-2012, and identify distinctive risk indicators and differences in outcome between CP subtypes.
Methods:
Antenatal and perinatal/neonatal factors, motor and speech function, associated impairments, and neuroimaging patterns were extracted from the Belgian Cerebral Palsy Register. Prevalence was estimated per 1000 (overall, ante/perinatal, spastic, dyskinetic CP) or 10,000 (post-neonatal, ataxic CP) live births. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed to ascertain the effects of antenatal/perinatal/neonatal factors and neuroimaging patterns on the likelihood of dyskinetic or ataxic CP relative to spastic CP, and test the likelihood of the occurrence of impaired motor and speech function and associated impairments in dyskinetic or ataxic CP relative to spastic CP.
Results:
In total, 1127 children with CP were identified in Belgium. The birth prevalence of overall CP was 1.48 per 1000 live births. The likelihood of dyskinetic CP increases if the child was born to a mother aged ≥35 years, mechanically ventilated, and had predominant grey matter injury, while an increased likelihood of ataxic CP is associated with ≥2 previous deliveries. Children with dyskinetic and ataxic CP are more likely to function with impairments in motor, speech, and intellectual abilities.
Conclusion:
Distinctive risk indicators and differences in outcome between CP subtypes were identified. These factors can be incorporated into clinical practice to facilitate early, accurate, and reliable classification of CP subtype, and may lead to individually tailored neonatal care and other (early) intervention options.
