Which growth parameters can affect mortality in cerebral palsy?

The Impact of Malnutrition on Hospitalized Children With Cerebral Palsy

Children with cerebral palsy (CP) and other medical complexity comprise an outsized proportion of health care use. In this review, we describe the current science of assessment of nutritional status for children with CP, outline a systematic approach to assessing their nutritional status, delineate ramifications of malnutrition on hospitalization-associated outcomes, and identify knowledge gaps and means of addressing those gaps using quality improvement and clinical research tools. Methods to accurately assess body composition and adiposity in this population by using skinfolds, age, sex, and activity level are available but are not widely used. There are limitations in our current method of estimating energy needs in children with CP, who are at higher risk of both obesity and micronutrient deficiencies. There is some evidence of an association between malnutrition, defined as either underweight or obesity, and hospitalization-associated outcomes in children generally, although we lack specific data for CP. The gaps in our current understanding of optimal nutritional status and between current science and practice need to be addressed to improve health outcomes for this vulnerable patient population.

Association of class number, cumulative exposure, and earlier initiation of antibiotics during the first two-years of life with subsequent childhood obesity

BACKGROUND

Despite the possible association between antibiotic overuse and childhood obesity, studies on this association are lacking in Asia. This study aimed to determine whether there is an association between the number, duration of antibiotic exposure, timing of antibiotics initiation and childhood obesity.

METHODS

In this retrospective cohort study, Korean children born between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2012, who underwent government-provided health examinations at age 4-6 and 30-36 months, were included. The main outcome was obesity (body mass index in 95th percentile) at 30-36 months. The exposure variable was antibiotic prescription during the first 24 months of life. The number, prevalence, and odds ratio (OR) of obese children based on antibiotic exposure were analyzed using logistic regression.

RESULTS

Of 31,733 children, 31,457 (99.1%) children used antibiotics and 2843 (9%) were obese at 30-36 months. There was a clear dose-response relationship between obesity and number of antibiotic classes, cumulative days, and earlier antibiotic initiation. Children who used five or more antibiotic classes had higher odds of obesity than those who used only one class (OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.12-1.8). Children with >180 days of antibiotic exposure had higher risk of obesity than those with 1-30 exposure days (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.19-1.64). Children with earlier initiation of antibiotics had higher risk of obesity (OR 1.15 per 6 months, 95% CI 1.08-1.22).

CONCLUSION

Increased number of antibiotic classes, longer duration of antibiotic prescription and earlier antibiotic initiation before 24 months was associated with childhood obesity at 30-36 months. This South Korean retrospective study supports judicious use of antibiotics in the first 24 months of life to avoid the potential risk of childhood obesity. Future studies need to be performed to confirm or refute the results presented herein.