Variables included in cerebral palsy registries globally: A scoping review.
Thembi J Katangwe, Mariana Kruger, Takondwa Chimowa and 4 others
PMID 38530807WHAT IT FOUND
Cerebral palsy registries worldwide collect very different variables.
High-income registries focused on prenatal factors, while low- and middle-income registries focused more on maternal socioeconomic details and postnatal risks such as infection, jaundice, and head injury.
Key findings
01All 197 included studies reported the registry type, geographical location, and cerebral palsy definition.
02High-income registries reported maternal gravidity in 25.0% of studies (n = 29) versus 15.8% (n = 6) in low- and middle-income registries, while low- and middle-income registries reported family monthly income in 34.2% (n = 13) versus 8.6% (n = 10) in high-income registries.
03Low- and middle-income registries reported postnatal jaundice in 15.8% (n = 6) versus 6.9% (n = 8) in high-income registries, postnatal infections in 18.4% (n = 7) versus 8.6% (n = 10), and postnatal head trauma in 10.5% (n = 4) versus 5.2% (n = 6).
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
Most included studies were from high-income countries, so the review may miss variables that matter most in low- and middle-income settings. Studies that could not be accessed or translated into English were excluded, so non-English registry reports may be missing. The review describes what registries collected, not whether those data improved patient care.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. Funding information listed the Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that any cerebral palsy registry variables improve patient care. It only describes which variables registries reported, and most studies came from high-income countries, so it cannot show what should be collected everywhere.