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Published on: March 17, 2014
Pseudomonas aeruginosa in children with cerebral palsy: a prospective study
Katrien Romaen1, Isabelle Van Ussel2, Carolin Van Rossem2
1Department of Pediatric Neurology, Antwerp University Hospital/University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
Insights
Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) was rarely found in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Most children with CP experienced limited respiratory issues from common bacteria, though further research is needed.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Infectious Diseases
- Cerebral Palsy Research
Background:
- Children with cerebral palsy (CP) frequently experience chronic respiratory symptoms.
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is a pathogen linked to severe respiratory illness in this population.
- Understanding bacterial prevalence is key for improving respiratory health in children with CP.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) in children with cerebral palsy (CP).
- To investigate the association between bacterial colonization and respiratory disease severity in children with CP.
- To identify common respiratory pathogens in children with CP.
Main Methods:
- Throat swabs were collected from 79 children with CP (aged 0-18 years).
- Patient data were extracted from electronic medical records.
- Respiratory symptoms were assessed using the Liverpool Respiratory Symptom Questionnaire (LRSQ) after 3 months.
Main Results:
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) was detected in only 5.1% of children with CP.
- Gram-negative bacteria (21.5%) and Staphylococcus aureus (13.9%) were more common pathogens.
- Higher GMFCS scores correlated with increased pathogen presence.
- Respiratory symptom data showed 52.1% of patients reported one cold in the past 3 months.
Conclusions:
- The prevalence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is low in children with CP.
- Gram-negative bacteria were the most frequently isolated pathogens, with limited respiratory consequences.
- Findings may be influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, warranting further investigation.
Introduction:
Children with cerebral palsy (CP) often present with chronic respiratory symptoms. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA), is a known pathogen associated with more severe respiratory disease. Preventive actions to eradicate this bacterium and to improve the respiratory condition of children with CP could be very valuable. Therefore, we assessed the prevalence of PA and its association with respiratory disease.
Methods:
Throat swabs were taken in children with CP, aged 0-18 years. Data from patient records were extracted from the electronic medical records. Follow-up of respiratory symptoms was done by the Liverpool respiratory symptom questionnaire (LRSQ) after 3 months.
Results:
A throat swab and a completed LRSQ after 3 months were received from 79 children with CP. Twenty-eight patients (35.4%) were found to have at least one positive respiratory culture. Only 4 patients (5.1%) were contaminated with PA. Gram negative bacteria were isolated in 21.5% of the positive throat swabs, S. aureus was found in 13.9%. Most pathogens were found in patients with higher GMFCS score (GMFCS IV and V). Results of the LRSQ showed that 52.1% of these patients reported having 1 cold in the past 3 months.
Discussion:
The prevalence of PA in our population of children with CP is low, gram-negative bacteria were most commonly found. The respiratory consequences of being colonized with these bacteria were limited. These results may have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Further research is recommended.
