Cause of death trends among adults with and without cerebral palsy in the United States, 2013-2017.
J Dalton Stevens, Margaret A Turk, Scott D Landes
PMID 34273570WHAT IT FOUND
Adults with cerebral palsy die 24 years younger than peers.
They are far more likely to die from respiratory causes and choking, but less likely to die from heart disease and cancer. Clinicians must monitor respiratory health and swallowing safety throughout adulthood.
Key findings
01Adults with cerebral palsy die significantly younger than those without, with a mean age at death of 50.30 years compared to 74.11 years.
02People with cerebral palsy are much more likely to die from respiratory causes such as pneumonitis, influenza/pneumonia, respiratory failure, and choking than those without cerebral palsy.
03Although heart disease is the leading cause of death for adults with cerebral palsy, they are less likely to die from it than the general population, especially after age 25.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study relies on death certificates, which may underreport cerebral palsy or lack details on the severity of the disability, such as topographical distribution or functional level. Cerebral palsy was listed as the underlying cause of death on 58.5% of certificates, requiring algorithmic revision for many cases, which introduces potential classification errors. The analysis cannot account for the specific type or severity of cerebral palsy, so findings apply broadly to the adult population with CP rather than specific subgroups. Because cerebral palsy may not be reported on all death certificates, the true prevalence among decedents might be higher, which would likely make the observed risks appear smaller than they actually are.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that adults with cerebral palsy are protected from heart disease simply because they have a lower relative risk than the general population. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for this group, so cardiovascular health monitoring is still essential.