Temporal Trends, Clinical Characteristics, and Sociodemographic Profile of Post-neonatally Acquired Cerebral Palsy in Australia, 1973-2012: A Population-based Observational Study

Overview

Journal Dev Med Child Neurol

Date 2022 Jun 6

PMID 35665921

Authors

Emma Waight

Sarah McIntyre

Susan Woolfenden

Linda Watson

Susan Reid

Heather Scott

Tanya Martin

Annabel Webb

Nadia Badawi

Hayley Smithers-Sheedy

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Aim: To describe post-neonatally acquired (PNN) cerebral palsy (CP) in terms of temporal trends in prevalence, clinical and sociodemographic profiles, known causes and associations between causes, and sociodemographic variables.

Method: Numerator data, a count of children with PNN-CP confirmed at 5 years of age (n = 523), was drawn from two Australian state CP registers (birth years 1973-2012). Poisson regression was used to investigate temporal trends in the prevalence of PNN-CP by 5-year intervals, calculated per 10 000 live births. Using data from all state and territory Australian CP registers (n = 469), distributions of clinical characteristics, PNN-CP causes, and sociodemographic factors were tabulated (birth years 1995-2012). χ and logistic regression analyses were used to assess associations between sociodemographic profile, Australian reference data, and known causes.

Results: A significant temporal decline in PNN-CP in Victoria (p = 0.047) and Western Australia (p = 0.033) was observed. The most common proximal causes of PNN-CP were cerebrovascular accidents (34%, n = 158), infection (25%, n = 117), and non-accidental injuries (12%, n = 58). Children born to teenage mothers, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander mothers, or children born in remote areas were over-represented in this cohort compared with reference data (all p ≤ 0.001). Infectious causes were strongly associated with teenage motherhood (odds ratio 3.0 [95% confidence interval 1.1-8.2], p = 0.028) and remote living (odds ratio 4.5 [95% confidence interval 2.0-10.2], p < 0.001).

Interpretation: Although prevalence of PNN-CP has declined, the over-representation of priority populations, and the relative severity of a condition that is largely preventable, suggest the need for more specific primary preventive measures and support.

What This Paper Adds: Prevalence of post-neonatally acquired (PNN) cerebral palsy (CP) in Australia significantly declined between 1973 and 2012. Cerebrovascular accidents are the most common proximal cause of PNN-CP. Children born in remote areas are at greater risk of PNN-CP.

Citing Articles

Post-neonatal cerebral palsy in Australia: Through the lens of intersectionality.

Durkin M Dev Med Child Neurol. 2022; 65(1):13-14.

PMID: 35758144 PMC: 10084264. DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.15328.

Temporal trends, clinical characteristics, and sociodemographic profile of post-neonatally acquired cerebral palsy in Australia, 1973-2012: A population-based observational study.

Waight E, McIntyre S, Woolfenden S, Watson L, Reid S, Scott H Dev Med Child Neurol. 2022; 65(1):107-116.

PMID: 35665921 PMC: 10952665. DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.15293.

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