Abstract
Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) is defined as a collection of non-progressive central nervous system disorders that affect motor function, being ranked among the major causes of childhood physical handicap. Hypotonia with or without weakness and an inability to maintain posture are the common characteristics of CP; however, these clinical manifestations do not represent all types of CP; they only express the kinds of motor dysfunction that affect different regions of the body. It is essential to differentiate and map these clinical types since it helps the improvement of intervention and management approaches in those regions, especially where resources are scarce.
Aim: This was a cross-sectional study with the objective of assessing the pattern of clinical subtypes of CP amongst children attending a university teaching hospital in Karachi, Pakistan.
Method: This descriptive cross sectional study was carried out in the Department of Neurology, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi. This study enrolled 91 paediatric patients from 2 to 8 years with cerebral palsy. Data collection for each participant was determined by non-probability convenience sampling. Clinical information, especially information about the category of cerebral palsy and the child’s age, sex, and socioeconomic status, was obtained using parental interview and medical assessment by physicians. Information on the clinical types of CP was compared with previously defined standards, and SPSS version 24 was used for data analysis, for which frequencies and percentages were reported.
Result: The patients’ distribution revealed that 56% were MALE, while 44% were FEMALE, and the cases had a mean age of 3. 37 ± 1. 34 years. Whereas the types of cerebral palsy were fairly evenly divided, spastic diplegia was the most common type of cerebral palsy, with 39%. 6% of the cases. Mixed type of CP was present in 16. neonatal seizures in 5% of patient, spastic quadriplegia in 15. 1% of the patients Total 100% Table Number 3: Showing different causes of hemiplegia Patient’s profile Right hemiplegia Left hemiplegia Sided hemiplegia Spastic Aphasial paresis Arthrogryposis cerebral palsy Spinal bifida quadriplegia Hydrocephalus Trauma Paraplegia 23 7 2 26 10 13 80% 2%. Ataxic and dyskinetic CP were least prevalent with each representing 7% of the children. 7% of patients. This study did not depict any instance of patients suffering from hypotonic CP. As for the distribution between male and female patients, half of those with spastic diplegia were male, and half were female, while for mixed-type CP patients, 34 were male and 18 were female.
Conclusion: It was ascertained in this study that among the various types of Cerebral Palsy, that is CP, spastic diplegia remains the most predominant among the study population with a tremendous potential for a huge impact on the management /rehabilitation programs for these patients. The conclusions underlined the actual subject of the further efficient diagnosing and intervention at the early age, especially in resource sparing conditions. The results suggest that increased research is needed to further investigate the elements that make up the distribution of CP types of this population and to improve diagnostic and intervention capacities.
Keywords: Cerebral palsy, spastic diplegia, prevalence, distribution, paediatric neurology, tertiary care, Karachi, Pakistan.