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Chronic health conditions more likely in adults with cerebral palsy

An analysis of health surveys found that adults with cerebral palsy had significantly higher odds of chronic diseases such as diabetes, asthma and heart conditions, according to data published in JAMA.

"Adults with cerebral palsy represent an increasing population whose health status and health care needs are poorly understood," Mark D. Peterson, PhD, MS, an assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Michigan, and colleagues wrote. "Mortality records reveal that death due to ischemic heart disease and cancer is higher among adults with [cerebral palsy]; however, there have been no national surveillance efforts to track disease risk in this population."

Researchers used data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey from 2002 to 2010 from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, which included 207,615 adults. Of this group, 1,015 had cerebral palsy.

Peterson and colleagues calculated prevalence rates for eight chronic conditions that are considered priority conditions indicative of lifestyle behaviors, according to the HHS.

All of the chronic conditions were more prevalent in adults with cerebral palsy than adults without cerebral palsy, which included diabetes (9.2% vs. 6.3%), asthma (20.7% vs. 9.4%), hypertension (30% vs. 22.1%), stroke (4.6% vs. 2.3%), emphysema (3.8% vs. 1.4%), joint pain (43.6% vs. 28%), arthritis (31.4% vs. 17.4%) and heart conditions such as CVD, myocardial infarction and angina (15.1% vs. 9.1%; P < .001 for all comparisons).

"Accelerated functional losses are a concern in the aging [cerebral palsy] population," Peterson and colleagues wrote. "A large percentage of individuals who were once mobile eventually stop ambulating due to fatigue, inefficiency of gait, and/or muscle and joint pain. The current findings demonstrated that level of mobility impairment was strongly associated with chronic conditions."

Peterson, the father of a child with cerebral palsy, said an increasing population of patients with the disorder underscores the need for improved clinical care and scientific evidence.

"We need to strongly consider how these health complications could further impact this population, and how we can prevent or reduce these conditions among individuals with cerebral palsy through their lifespan," he said in a press release. – by Chelsea Frajerman Pardes

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.