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Updated: May 9, 2026
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Development of a Neonatal Rat Model for Brachial Plexus Birth Injury
Published on: March 27, 2026
Mapping Population-Level Differences in Brachial Plexus Birth Injury: An International Meta-Analysis
Holly Cordray1, Miguel Fiandeiro1, Seungjun Lee2
1Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
The Journal of Hand Surgery
|May 8, 2026
Summary
Brachial plexus birth injuries (BPBI) affect 1.4 per thousand births globally, with significant regional variations. Further research into population-level factors is needed to understand and potentially reduce BPBI incidence.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Neurology
- Public Health
Background:
- Brachial plexus birth injuries (BPBI) often occur without identifiable prenatal risk factors.
- Understanding the global incidence of BPBI is crucial for identifying population-level predictors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To map the worldwide incidence of brachial plexus birth injuries (BPBI).
- To identify population-level predictors for BPBI.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of cross-sectional studies on BPBI incidence.
- Searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases.
- Meta-regression used to compare population-based differences in incidence.
Main Results:
- Pooled data from 71.5 million births across 30 countries.
- Composite international BPBI incidence was 1.4 per thousand births (95% CI, 1.3-1.6).
- Significant international variation observed, with country of birth explaining 34.2% of variance; 18.4% of cases persisted beyond one year.
Conclusions:
- Significant regional variations in BPBI incidence warrant further investigation into population-level influences.
- Exploration of health systems, environmental, sociodemographic, and genetic factors is recommended.
- New research questions are needed to address the unpredictability of BPBI incidence.
