Predictors for early diagnosis of cerebral palsy from national registry data

TY - JOUR

T1 - Predictors for early diagnosis of cerebral palsy from national registry data

AU - Granild-Jensen, Jakob Bie

AU - Rackauskaite, Gija

AU - Flachs, Esben Meulengracht

AU - Uldall, Peter

PY - 2015/10

Y1 - 2015/10

N2 - AimAs early intervention is important in cerebral palsy (CP), an early diagnosis is desirable. The aim of this study was to establish the median diagnostic age of CP and to identify predictors of an early diagnosis in a population-based cohort.MethodUsing the Danish National Cerebral Palsy Registry (NCPR), we identified 1291 children with CP (764 males, 527 females) born between 1995 and 2003. The date of diagnosis was defined as the day the parents were told that their child was spastic or had CP. We calculated the age of diagnosis and analysed the following predictors: type of CP, degree of motor disability, cerebral ultrasonography results, epilepsy, gestational age, and degree of cognitive impairment.ResultsWe found the overall median corrected diagnostic age of CP to be 11months. Early diagnosis was associated with the type of CP, presence of epilepsy, a high degree of motor disability, and abnormalities in the cerebral ultrasonography. The gestational age was not associated with the diagnostic age.InterpretationThe median diagnostic age implies that half of the Danish children with CP will be able to enter an early intervention program before 1year of age. A late diagnosis was associated with less severe symptoms, and gestational age did not influence the diagnostic age.What this paper addsMedian diagnostic age of cerebral palsy (CP) in Denmark is 11months. Gestational age is not associated with age at diagnosis. CP diagnosis is made earlier when epilepsy or intellectual disability occur. Children with CP were diagnosed earlier when cerebral ultrasonography was abnormal.This article is commented on by McIntyre on page 891 of this issue.

AB - AimAs early intervention is important in cerebral palsy (CP), an early diagnosis is desirable. The aim of this study was to establish the median diagnostic age of CP and to identify predictors of an early diagnosis in a population-based cohort.MethodUsing the Danish National Cerebral Palsy Registry (NCPR), we identified 1291 children with CP (764 males, 527 females) born between 1995 and 2003. The date of diagnosis was defined as the day the parents were told that their child was spastic or had CP. We calculated the age of diagnosis and analysed the following predictors: type of CP, degree of motor disability, cerebral ultrasonography results, epilepsy, gestational age, and degree of cognitive impairment.ResultsWe found the overall median corrected diagnostic age of CP to be 11months. Early diagnosis was associated with the type of CP, presence of epilepsy, a high degree of motor disability, and abnormalities in the cerebral ultrasonography. The gestational age was not associated with the diagnostic age.InterpretationThe median diagnostic age implies that half of the Danish children with CP will be able to enter an early intervention program before 1year of age. A late diagnosis was associated with less severe symptoms, and gestational age did not influence the diagnostic age.What this paper addsMedian diagnostic age of cerebral palsy (CP) in Denmark is 11months. Gestational age is not associated with age at diagnosis. CP diagnosis is made earlier when epilepsy or intellectual disability occur. Children with CP were diagnosed earlier when cerebral ultrasonography was abnormal.This article is commented on by McIntyre on page 891 of this issue.

KW - SURVEILLANCE

U2 - 10.1111/dmcn.12760

DO - 10.1111/dmcn.12760

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 25855100

SN - 0012-1622

VL - 57

SP - 931

EP - 935

JO - Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology

JF - Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology

IS - 10

ER -