Citation

Granild-Jensen JB, Pedersen AB, Kristiansen EB, Langdahl B, Møller-Madsen B, Søndergaard C, Farholt S, Vestergaard ET, Rackauskaite G. Clin. Epidemiol. 2022; 14: 1405-1414.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Dove Press)

DOI

10.2147/CLEP.S381343

PMID

36444291

PMCID

PMC9700470

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In children with cerebral palsy (CP), fracture rates have been reported to be higher than in the general population but age-specific fracture rates have not been directly compared and the effect of comorbid epilepsy needs elucidation. This impairs decision-making regarding bone health interventions.

AIM: We aimed to establish the age-specific fracture rates in children with CP with and without epilepsy in Denmark.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from Danish registers were combined to establish cohorts of children with and without CP born in Denmark from 1997 to 2007. Fracture rates were calculated for 1997-2016.

RESULTS: We identified 1,451 children with CP and 787,159 without CP. Female/male fracture rates per 1,000 person-years were 23/27 with CP and 23/29 without CP. Male sex, epilepsy and anti-seizure medication, but not the diagnosis of CP or GMFCS-level, were associated with higher fracture rates. Relatively more lower extremity fractures occurred in non-ambulant children with CP.

INTERPRETATION/CONCLUSION: We found no increased fracture rates in children with CP when compared to peers; however, fracture locations suggested bone fragility in non-ambulant children. All children with epilepsy and on anti-seizure medication had increased fracture rates. We suggest bone health optimization in these groups.

Language: en

Keywords

children; anti-seizure medication; cerebral palsy; epilepsy; fracture rate; Gross Motor Classification System