Table 2 Maternal and neonatal demographics and clinical characteristics of infants newly diagnosed with cerebral palsy from 2021 to 2023.

From: Standardizing early cerebral palsy detection in high-risk infants: reducing age at diagnosis through a quality improvement initiative

 

2021 (n = 5)

2022 (n = 10)

2023 (n = 11)

p-valuea

Gestational Age (weeks)

26.8 (1.97)

27.1 (3.39)

35.5 (6.59)

0.0009

Birthweight (Z-score)b

0.468 (2.26)

−0.539 (0.988)

−0.130 (1.13)

0.41

Male Sex

3 (60)

6 (60)

6 (54.5)

1.00

Race

   

0.43

 Asian

1 (20)

0 (0)

0 (0)

 

 Black

2 (40)

3 (30)

5 (45.5)

 

 White

2 (40)

7 (70)

6 (54.5)

 

Hispanic ethnicity

1 (20)

7 (70)

4 (36.4)

0.15

Antenatal steroids

5 (100)

10 (100)

3 (27.3)

0.0003

Maternal magnesium

5 (100)

10 (100)

3 (27.3)

0.0003

Small for gestational age

0 (0)

2 (20)

2 (18.2)

0.82

Multiple gestation

0 (0)

2 (20)

3 (27.3)

0.69

Therapeutic hypothermia

0 (0)

0 (0)

4 (36.4)

0.05

Abnormal neuroimagingc

4 (80)

7 (70)

10 (91)

0.57

GMA writhing period

-

-

 

-

 Normal

  

0 (0)

 

 Poor repertoire

  

3 (100)

 

 Cramped synchronized

  

0 (0)

 

GMA fidgety period

-

-

 

-

Normal

  

2 (33)

 

Absent

  

4 (67

 

CP tone type

   

0.22

 Spasticity

4 (80)

10 (100)

8 (73)

 

 Hypotonia

1 (20)

0 (0)

3 (27)

 

CP topography

   

0.34

 Hemiplegia

2 (40)

1 (10)

4 (36)

 

 Diplegia

2 (40)

5 (50)

3 (27)

 

 Triplegia

0 (0)

1 (10)

0 (0)

 

 Quadriplegia

1 (20)

3 (30)

4 (36)

 

Gross motor function classification level

   

0.11 d

 I

3 (60)

1 (10)

-

 

 II

0 (0)

3 (30)

-

 

 III

1 (20)

0 (0)

-

 

 IV-V

1 (20)

4 (40)

-

 

 Unclassified

0 (0)

2 (20)

11 (100)

 

Age at diagnosis (months)

18.5 [16.7, 19.4]

7.5 [5.9, 14.4]

8.9 [6.6, 12.2]

0.02e, 0.01 f, 0.48 g

  1. Data are shown as mean (SD), n (%) or median [IQR] and “-” if no data available.
  2. aP-value calculated by Fisher’s exact test or ANOVA, p-value < 0.05 statistically significant.
  3. bBased on Fenton 2013 preterm growth chart.
  4. ccUS or MRI with grade 3-4 intraventricular hemorrhage, hydrocephalus, white matter injury, cortical and deep gray matter lesions, cystic encephalomalacia, stroke, brain maldevelopments.
  5. dComparing 2022 to 2021 since infants with CP in 2023 are < 2 years of age (adjusted) at time of analyses.
  6. eDunn’s pairwise comparison of adjusted age in e2021 to 2022, f2021 to 2023, and g2022 to 2023.
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