Risk of neonatal and childhood morbidity among preterm infants exposed to marijuana.

BACKGROUND: Limited data exist regarding the neonatal and neurodevelopmental outcomes of infants exposed to marijuana (MJ) in-utero, particularly among preterm infants. We hypothesized that MJ-exposed preterm infants would have worse neonatal and childhood developmental outcomes compared to MJ-unexposed infants. METHODS: Secondary analysis of multicenter randomized-controlled trial of antenatal magnesium sulfate for the prevention of cerebral palsy was conducted. Singleton nonanomalous infants delivered <35 weeks exposed to MJ in-utero were compared to MJ-unexposed. Primary neonatal outcome was death, grade 3/4 intraventricular hemorrhage, periventricular leukomalacia, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and/or stage II/III necrotizing enterocolitis before discharge. Primary childhood outcome was death, moderate/severe cerebral palsy, or/and Bayley II Scales <70 at age 2. Backward-stepwise regression used to estimate odds of primary outcomes. RESULTS: 1867 infants met inclusion criteria; 135(7.2%) were MJ-exposed. There were no differences in neonatal (20% vs. 26%, p = 0.14) or childhood (26% vs. 21%, p = 0.21) outcomes in MJ-exposed infants compared to MJ-unexposed infants. In adjusted models, MJ-exposure was not associated with adverse neonatal outcomes (aOR 0.83 95% CI 0.47,1.44) or early childhood outcomes (aOR 1.47, 95% CI 0.97,2.23). CONCLUSIONS: Among infants born <35 weeks of gestation, MJ-exposure was not associated with adverse neonatal or childhood outcomes. Long-term follow-up studies are needed to assess later childhood neurodevelopmental outcomes following MJ-exposure.

Resultados tras cirugía multinivel en pacientes afectados de parálisis cerebral / Outcome after single-event multi-level surgery in patients with cerebral palsy

Objetivo. La cirugía multinivel de extremidades inferiores es un procedimiento que se lleva a cabo en pacientes afectados de parálisis cerebral (PC). El objetivo en pacientes deambulantes es mejorar el patrón de marcha y para los no deambulantes facilitar la realización de transferencias. El objetivo de nuestro estudio es cuantificar la mejora del patrón de marcha en pacientes intervenidos con esta técnica. Diseño. Estudio prospectivo de pacientes afectados de PC a los que se les ha practicado cirugía multinivel entre marzo del 2011 y marzo del 2013. Material y método. Se ha valorado a 11 pacientes sometidos a cirugía multinivel, cuantificando los cambios en la marcha tras la intervención quirúrgica, aplicando la Edinburgh Visual Gait Score (EVGS). También se han determinado los cambios en la velocidad de la marcha (pasos por segundo) y en la Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). Los pacientes han sido valorados entre un año y 2 después de la cirugía. Resultados. Se ha observado una mejora media de 9 puntos al aplicar la EVGS. En 8 pacientes no hay cambios en GMFCS y en 5 ha mejorado la velocidad de la marcha. Todos los pacientes que practicaban alguna modalidad de deporte adaptado la continúan realizando en la actualidad en las mismas condiciones. Conclusiones. Aunque se ha observado una mejora global en las puntuaciones de la EVGS y en la velocidad de la marcha, no se han evidenciado cambios en GMFCS. Aun así, la valoración por parte de la familia es satisfactoria. Necesitamos futuros estudios a largo plazo y con una muestra mayor para averiguar si la mejora observada se mantiene al final del crecimiento (AU)

Objective. Single-event multilevel surgery (SEMLS) of the lower limbs is a procedure for children with cerebral palsy (CP). Its aim is to improve gait pattern and/or facilitate transfers, according to the patient's walking ability. The aim of our study was to quantify the improvement in gait pattern in patients treated with this procedure. Design. Prospective study of patients with cerebral palsy who underwent SEMLS between March 2011 and March 2013. Material and method. We evaluated 11 patients who underwent SEMLS by quantifying gait changes after surgery, using the Edinburgh Visual Gait Score (EVGS). We determined changes in gait speed (steps per second) and in the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). Patients were assessed at one and two years after surgery. Results. We observed an average improvement of 9 points when applying the EVGS. The GMFCS was unchanged in 8 patients, and gait speed improved in 5 patients. All patients who used to practice some kind of adapted sport are still doing so in the same conditions. Conclusions. Despite finding a global improvement in the EVGS and gait speed, no change was observed in the GMFCS. Nevertheless, family satisfaction was satisfactory. Future long-term studies with a larger number of patients are needed to check whether the improvement remains at the end of growth (AU)

Disproportionate fetal growth and the risk for congenital cerebral palsy in singleton births.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between proportionality of fetal and placental growth measured at birth and the risk for congenital cerebral palsy (CP). STUDY DESIGN: We identified all live-born singletons born in Denmark between 1995 and 2003 and followed them from 1 year of age until December 31st, 2008. Information on four indices of fetal growth: ponderal index, head circumference/ abdominal circumference ratio, cephalization index and birth weight/ placenta weight ratio was collected. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). All measurements were evaluated as gestational age and sex specific z-scores and in z-score percentile groups, adjusted for potential confounders, and stratified on gestational age groups (<32, 32-36, 37-38, 39, 40, ≥ 41 weeks). RESULTS: We identified 503,784 singleton births, of which 983 were confirmed cases of CP. Head/ abdominal circumference ratio (aHR:1.12; 95%CI:1.07-1.16) and cephalization index (aHR:1.14; 95%CI:1.11-1.16) were associated with the risk of CP irrespective of gestational age. Birth weight-placental weight ratio was also associated with CP in the entire cohort (aHR:0.90; 95%CI:0.83-0.97). Ponderal index had a u-shaped association with CP, where both children with low and high ponderal index were at higher risk of CP. CONCLUSIONS: CP is associated with disproportions between birth weight, birth length, placental weight and head circumference suggesting pre and perinatal conditions contribute to fetal growth restriction in children with CP.

Problemática de la transición, experiencias, punto de vista del neuropediatra / No disponible

La transición es definida como el desplazamiento decidido y planificado de adolescentes afectos de una enfermedad crónica, desde un sistema de asistencia centrado en el niño a otro orientado hacia el adulto. La mayoría de los pacientes con enfermedades neurológicas crónicas (ENC) sobreviven hasta la edad adulta y necesitan continuar el tratamiento en servicios para adultos. Las ENC infantiles son un grupo heterogéneo, por este motivo, para planificar la transición es necesario agrupar las patologías que puedan necesitar un tipo de actuación similar. La transición no es un evento, es un proceso que debe iniciarse con la antelación suficiente para ser aceptada y planificada, que garantice una continuidad de la atención durante la vida adulta. Se ha de realizar en un momento de estabilidad de la enfermedad. El primer paso es identificar a los Servicios de adultos que estén dispuestos a atender a estos pacientes especiales. Debe ir acompañada de la información necesaria (informe con la filiación del paciente, el diagnóstico principal, las complicaciones asociadas, que precisen seguimiento por diferentes especialidades, las exploraciones realizadas, los tratamientos). Al mismo tiempo puede ser necesaria una transición simultánea a otros profesionales, como fisioterapeuta, psicólogo, asistente social). No hay una transición típica, posiblemente son necesarios diferentes modelos, según las necesidades de cada grupo de pacientes y según las disponibilidades sanitarias. La mayoría de los pacientes o familias viven la transición con ansiedad, miedo y desconfianza y corresponde al Neuropediatra ayudar en este proceso de tránsito, ofreciendo el soporte necesario para que se realice con éxito (AU)

No disponible

Incidencia y tipo de parálisis cerebral en una cohorte de prematuros con edad gestacional menor de 28 semanas / Incidence of cerebral palsy in a cohort of preterm infants with a gestational age of less than 28 weeks

No disponible

Incidencia y tipo de parálisis cerebral en prematuros con edad gestacional menores de 28 semanas. Respuesta de los autores / Incidence of cerebral palsy in a cohort of preterm infants with a gestational age of less than 28 weeks. Author's reply

No disponible

Prenatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances and the risk of congenital cerebral palsy in children.

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are persistent pollutants and endocrine disruptors that may affect fetal brain development. We investigated whether prenatal exposure to PFASs increases the risk of congenital cerebral palsy (CP). The source population for this study includes 83,389 liveborn singletons and mothers enrolled in the Danish National Birth Cohort during 1996-2002. We identified 156 CP cases by linking the cohort to the Danish National Cerebral Palsy Register, and we randomly selected 550 controls using a case-cohort design. We measured 16 PFASs in maternal plasma collected in early or midpregnancy, and 6 PFASs were quantifiable in more than 90% of the samples. We found a higher risk of CP in boys with higher maternal PFAS levels; per 1-unit (natural-log ng/mL) increase, the risk ratios were 1.7 (95% confidence interval: 1.0, 2.8) for perfluorooctane sulfonate and 2.1 (95% confidence interval: 1.2, 3.6) for perfluorooctanoic acid. We also observed a dose-response pattern of CP risk in boys per quartile of maternal level of perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid (P for trend < 0.01). PFASs were associated with both unilateral and bilateral spastic CP subphenotypes. No association between PFASs and CP was found in girls. Prenatal exposures to PFASs may increase the risk of CP in boys, but the finding is novel and replication is needed.

Hypoxic/ischemic and infectious events have cumulative effects on the risk of cerebral palsy in very-low-birth-weight preterm infants.

BACKGROUND: Hypoxia/ischemia and inflammation are two major mechanisms for cerebral palsy (CP) in preterm infants. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether hypoxia/ischemia- and infection-related events in the perinatal and neonatal periods had cumulative effects on CP risk in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) premature infants. METHODS: From 1995 to 2005, 5,807 VLBW preterm infants admitted to Taiwan hospitals were enrolled. The cumulative effects of hypoxic/ischemic and infectious events during the perinatal and neonatal periods on CP risk at corrected age 24 months were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 4,355 infants with 24-month follow-up, 457 (10.5%) had CP. The CP group had significantly higher incidences of hypoxia/ischemia-related events in the perinatal and neonatal periods, and sepsis in the neonatal period than the normal group. Three hypoxic/ischemic events, including birth cardiopulmonary resuscitation (OR 2.25; 95% CI 1.81-2.82), patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) ligation (2.94; 1.35-5.75) and chronic lung disease (3.14; 2.61-3.85) had the most significant contribution to CP. Relative to CP risk for infants with neither the three hypoxic/ischemic events nor sepsis, the CP odds increased 1.98-, 2.26- and 2.15-fold for infants with birth cardiopulmonary resuscitation, PDA ligation and chronic lung disease, respectively; while the combination with sepsis further increased the odds to 3.18-, 3.83- and 3.25-fold, respectively. Using the three hypoxic/ischemic events plus sepsis, CP rates were 10.0, 16.7, 26.7, 40.0 and 54.7% for infants with none, one, two, three and four events, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Hypoxic/ischemic and infectious events across the perinatal and neonatal periods exerted cumulative effects on CP risk in VLBW premature infants.

Early intervention after perinatal stroke: opportunities and challenges.

Perinatal stroke is the most common cause of hemiplegic cerebral palsy. No standardized early intervention exists despite evidence for a critical time window for activity-dependent plasticity to mould corticospinal tract development in the first few years of life. Intervention during this unique period of plasticity could mitigate the consequences of perinatal stroke to an extent not possible with later intervention, by preserving the normal pattern of development of descending motor pathways. This article outlines the broad range of approaches currently under investigation. Despite significant progress in this area, improved early detection and outcome prediction remain important goals.

Anomalias dentomaxilares asociadas a par lisis cerebral en ni¤os peruanos / Dentomaxillary anomalies associated with cerebral palsy in Peruvian children

Determinar la relaci¢n que existe entre las anomal¡as dentomaxilares y par lisis cerebral en ni¤os que acuden al Instituto para el Desarrollo Infantil – ARIE. Material y m‚todos. Se evaluaron 30 ni¤os de ambos sexos entre 2 y 12 a¤os de edad con diagn¢stico de par lisis cerebral que acudieron al consultorio odontol¢gico del Instituto para el Desarrollo Infantil-ARIE. Resultados. Se encontr¢ la relaci¢n canina clase II en un 50%; la relaci¢n molar clase II fue la m s frecuente (80%). Adem s, la prevalencia de caries dental fue de 76,7%. La mordida abierta y el api¤amiento dentario se encontraron en un 30%. Conclusiones. No se encontr¢ asociaci¢n entre la par lisis cerebral y las anomal¡as dentomaxilares; sin embargo, en la relaci¢n molar clase II del lado derecho e izquierdo, se encontr¢ asociaci¢n significativa a diferencia de todas las variables estudiadas.

To determine the relationship between dento maxillaries anomalies and cerebral palsy in children of 2-12 years old attending to the Institute for Child Development – ARIE. Material and methods. 30 children of both sexes were evaluated between 2 and 12 years old with cerebral palsy who attended the dental office of the Institute for Child Development-ARIE. Results. Class II canine relationship by 50% was found and the molar relation class II was the most frequent (80%). Furthermore the prevalence of dental caries was 76, 7%. The open bite and dental crowding were found in 30% respectively. Conclusions. No association between cerebral palsy and dento maxillaries anomalies was found, however, in the Class II molar relationship right and left side, significant association was found unlike all the variables studied.

Sex differences in cerebral palsy incidence and functional ability: a total population study.

AIM: To describe gender difference in a total population of children with cerebral palsy (CP), related to subtype, gross and fine motor function, and to compare CP incidence trends in girls and boys. METHODS: All 590 children with CP born in southern Sweden 1990-2005 were included. CP subtype was classified according to the Surveillance of Cerebral Palsy in Europe, gross motor function according to Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) and manual ability according to Manual Ability Classification System (MACS). Trends in CP incidence by birth year were analysed using Poisson regression modelling. RESULTS: There was a male predominance in all levels of GMFCS except level II, in all levels of MACS and in all CP subtypes except ataxic CP. There was no statistically significant difference between males and females regarding gross motor function or manual ability. The CP incidence trends in boys compared with girls did not change during the period 1990-2005. CONCLUSION: No equalization was detected in the incidence of CP between girls and boys during recent years in this total population. We could not confirm any consistent sex difference in motor function levels. Male sex is a risk factor for CP.

Labor induction by transcervical balloon catheter and cerebral palsy associated with umbilical cord prolapse.

AIM: The aim of this study was to determine whether the use of transcervical balloon catheter (TCBC) for induction of labor (IOL) is a risk factor for cerebral palsy (CP) associated with umbilical cord prolapse (UCP-CP) in singleton pregnancies with cephalic presentation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Among all 102 infants with CP who were preliminarily determined as caused by antenatal and/or intrapartum hypoxemia by the Japan Council for Quality Health Care until April 2012, all 56 infants who met all of the following criteria were studied: cephalic singleton pregnancy, reassuring fetal status on electronic cardiotocogram at time of admission to obstetric facilities for labor pains, ruptured fetal membranes, and/or IOL, and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy at birth. Clinical backgrounds were compared between six infants with UCP-CP and the remaining 50 infants with CP not associated with UCP (non-UCP-CP). RESULTS: Frequencies of IOL (83% [5/6] vs 32% [16/50], P = 0.0236), use of TCBC (67% [4/6] vs 10% [5/50], P = 0.0044), and amniotomy (67% [4/6] vs 24% [12/50], P = 0.0494) were significantly higher in the UCP-CP than the non-UCP-CP group. Only TCBC was a risk factor significantly associated with UCP-CP after logistic regression analysis, yielding an odds ratio of 18.0 (95% confidence interval, 2.6-124; P = 0.003). Saline volumes of 80-150 mL were used for TCBC inflation in the four UCP-CP patients. CONCLUSION: Use of TCBC with a saline volume ≥ 80 mL was a significant risk factor for UCP-CP; however, the absolute risk of UCP-CP was estimated to be very low, approximately one in 7875 TCBC users.

Decreased spontaneous arousability in preterm newborns with impaired neurological outcome.

Preterm newborns are at high risk of neurological injury. In this population, we investigated the link between neurological complications and sleep architecture. At term-corrected gestational age, we studied retrospectively the polysomnography of 45 preterm infants born at < 28 weeks or weighting < 1 kg. These infants were followed-up by a neuropaediatrician (median age at last follow-up 50.4 months). Two groups of children were constituted: a group without neurological disorder and a second group with at least one of the following: cerebral palsy, language or mental retardation, visual or hearing disability or attention disorder. A Multiple Indicators and Multiple Causes model assessed the relationship between the neurological outcome and two sleep components: spontaneous arousability [number of awakenings and movements per hour of quiet sleep (QS) and active sleep] and QS characteristics (median duration of QS cycles and percentage of QS over total sleep time). Twenty-six infants had an impaired neurological outcome. There were no statistical differences between the two groups regarding clinical characteristics. Compared to preterm neonates with normal neurological outcome, those with impaired outcomes had a lower spontaneous arousability; i.e. 0.7 (0.5­1) times less awakenings and movements per hour of QS and 0.9 (0.8­1) times less per hour of active sleep than infants with normal outcomes (P = 0.05). The differences in QS characteristics did not reach statistical significance. These findings suggested that, in preterm infants, perinatal neurological injuries could be associated with an abnormal sleep architecture characterized by altered spontaneous arousability.

Congenital non-central nervous system malformations in cerebral palsy: a distinct subset?

AIM: The aim of this article was to identify and contrast the subset of children with cerebral palsy (CP) and non-central nervous system (CNS) congenital malformations with children with CP but no coexisting non-CNS congenital malformations. METHOD: A population-based regional comprehensive CP registry was used to identify children with CP who had non-CNS congenital malformations (n = 34; 19 males, 15 females; 22 classified as Gross Motor Function Classification System [GMFCS] levels I-III, 12 as GMFCS level IV or V). Their clinical features were then compared with other children with CP without non-CNS congenital malformations (n = 207; 115 males, 92 females; 138 classified as GMFCS levels I-III, 69 as GMFCS level IV or V). RESULTS: Children with CP and non-CNS congenital malformations did not differ from those without in terms of neurological subtype distribution or functional severity, as measured by the GMFCS. Also, there was no association with previous maternal infections (i.e. toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus 2 [TORCH]), maternal fever, use of illicit substances, asphyxia, neonatal encephalopathy, intraventricular haemorrhage, or septicaemia. The incidence of comorbidities such as convulsions, communication difficulties, gavage feeding, cortical blindness, and auditory impairment was not higher in this subgroup. INTERPRETATION: The incidence of congenital non-CNS malformations among children with CP is appreciable. Children with these non-CNS malformations do not appear to differ from other children with CP regarding neurological subtype, functional severity, and comorbidities, or maternal or obstetrical factors. Thus, the specific presence of a non-CNS congenital malformation does not appear to assist the practitioner in the management or understanding of a child's CP.

The effect of intensive bimanual training on coordination of the hands in children with congenital hemiplegia.

Recent studies have suggested efficacy of intensive bimanual training in improving the quality and quantity of affected hand use in children with hemiplegia. However, it is not known whether such training affects the coordination of the two hands. In the present study, 20 children with congenital hemiplegia (age 4-10 years; MACS levels I-II) were randomly assigned to either an intensive bimanual training (Hand-Arm Bimanual Intensive Therapy: HABIT) group, or a control group consisting of equally intensive unimanual treatment (Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy, CIMT) for 6h per day for 15 days (90h). To assess their bimanual coordination, children were asked to open a drawer with one hand and manipulate its contents with the other hand. 3-D movement kinematics were recorded and subsequently analyzed by a blind evaluator. The role of the two hands was varied. Following treatment, superior improvement in bimanual coordination was found for the bimanual training group as indicated by greater movement overlap (the percentage of time with both hands engaged in the task p = 0.047) and better goal synchronization (reduced time differences between the two hands completing the task goals, p = 0.005). The results suggest that bimanual training improves the spatial-temporal control of the two hands, and are in agreement with the principle of practice specificity.