Prevalence of risk factors for cerebral palsy in two centers in Popayán

ABSTRACT

Background

Worldwide, infantile cerebral palsy (ICP) is highly prevalent in the pediatric population. There are few national figures of prevalence of the disease In Colombia, with the exception of a population study in Sabaneta, Antioquia, which reported a prevalence of 1.19 per 1000 live births. Risks factors for ICP are classified in maternal or prenatal, neonatal and postnatal.

Objective

To establish the prevalence of ICP and associated risk factors in children from two outpatients health centers in Popayán, southwest of Colombia.

Methods

Prospective cross-sectional study that included all outpatients of the neuropediatric service, November 2010 - August 2011. After obtaining signed informed consent from the patient´s relatives, information was collected using a validated survey. The analysis was performed using SPSS 10.0 for Windows.

Results

The prevalence of ICP palsy was 16.2%; male represented 57.4%, with a mean age of 4 years. The main risk factor was maternal urinary tract infection (34.1%), followed by preterm delivery (24.8%); the most frequent neonatal risk factor was asphyxia (45.7%). 55.8% of patients had spastic cerebral palsy.

Conclusion

The prevalence of cerebral palsy in these two institutions was high but the most prevalent risk factors in this study have the potential to be modified.