Haematological and biochemical profile of children with cerebral palsy in a neurodevelopmental clinic in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Deranged hematologic and biochemical profile have been associated with cerebral palsy in various ways, including association with aetiology and complication of the illness. We sought to describe haematological and biochemical parameters in children with cerebral palsy. The relationship between the parameters and the children's demographic characteristics was also examined.
Methods: It was a one-year retrospective analytical study of seventy-six children with cerebral palsy assessed at the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service Centre, Lagos. Haemoglobin, packed cell volume, red blood cell count and its indices, white blood count, electrolytes, urea, creatinine, total protein and albumin, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, and alkaline phosphatase parameters were recorded. The data was analyzed with Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS-26). The mean, standard deviation and interquartile range were analyzed. The level of significance was at p<0.05.
Results: The Mean ±SD haemoglobin level, white blood cell count and platelet count were 115.77 mg/dl ± 7.844, 7.486 x 9 9 10 /L ± 2.251, and 305.17 x 10 /L ± 104.599 respectively. Males had higher mean values for all parameters except mean cell volume, mean corpuscular volume, creatinine and alkaline phosphatase levels. On t-test analysis, anaemia was commoner in children less than 5 years and it was statistically significant (p=0.045). Lower alkaline phosphatase values were observed in children older than 9 years old, which was statistically significant (p=0.030). Sodium levels were similar across all age groups and did not show any statistically significant difference.
Conclusion: This study found various haematological and biochemical derangements with anaemia observed to be commoner in the younger age group. The findings will help in the assessment and management plan for children with cerebral palsy.