Diagnosis of protein-energy deficiency in children with cerebral palsy

Abstract

Purpose of the study. To conduct a comprehensive assessment of nutritional status and diagnosis of protein-energy deficiency in patients with cerebral palsy. Materials and methods. The nutritional status was studied in 214 children with cerebral palsy and 40 healthy children, the average age of the subjects was 6.7±0.27 years. The diagnosis of protein-energy deficiency in the subjects was based on clinical, anthropometric and laboratory parameters according to the Bilbreri-Kochen method, including subjective global assessment, shoulder muscle circumference, body mass index, skin-fat fold thickness over the triceps, absolute lymphocyte number and serum transferrin. Results. 81.8% of children with cerebral palsy have signs of protein-energy deficiency of varying severity. The highest incidence of mild protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) was observed in forms G 80.1 and G 80.2-64.1% and 62.5%, respectively. The average degree of PEM was observed at form G 80.0 in more than half of children (58.1%), the lowest percentage of occurrence was recorded at G 80.1-10.3% (P<0.001). Severe PEM was diagnosed in cerebral palsy with severe motor deficiency, accounting for 30.2% of cases in children with form G 80.0 and 14.3% of observations with G 80.8, slightly less often with Forms G 80.3 - in 3.2% and with G 80.4 - in 3.8% of cases (P<0.001), which is determined not only by the most significant limitation of the level of physical activity in these forms of cerebral palsy, but also by the most pronounced disorders of oral-motor function in this category of patients.