Characteristics of individuals with cerebral palsy across the United States
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Objective Cerebral palsy (CP) affects approximately 1 million Americans and 18 million individuals worldwide, yet contemporary US epidemiologic data remains limited. We aimed to use Cerebral Palsy Research Network (CPRN) clinical registry to describe demographics and clinical characteristics of individuals with CP across the US and determine associations with gross motor function and genetic etiology. Methods Registry subjects were included if they had clinician-confirmed CP and prospectively entered data for Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) Level, gestational age, genetic etiology, CP distribution, and tone/movement types. Logistic regression was used to determine which of these variables plus race, sex, ethnicity, and age were associated with GMFCS level and genetic etiology. Results A total of 9,756 children and adults with CP from 22 CPRN sites met inclusion criteria. Participants were predominantly White (73.0%), male (57.3%), non-Hispanic (87.8%), and younger than 18 years (73.7%). Most were classified as GMFCS levels I–III (55.6%), born preterm (52.8%), had spasticity (83.8%), and had quadriplegia (41.9%); 12.2% were identified as having a genetic etiology. Tone/movement types, CP distribution, and gestational age were significantly associated with both GMFCS level and genetic etiology (p<0.001). Compared to White individuals, Black individuals were more likely to have greater gross motor impairment (p<0.001). Conclusion In this large US cohort, clinical and demographic factors, including race, were associated with gross motor function and genetic etiology in CP. These findings highlight persistent disparities and demonstrate the value of a national clinical registry for informing prognostication, quality improvement efforts, and targeted genetic testing strategies.
Source: medRxiv
Authors: Bhooma R. Aravamuthan, Amy F. Bailes, Micah Baird, Kristie Bjornson, Ira Bowen, Angeline Bowman, Elizabeth R. Boyer, Rose Gelineau-Morel, Laurie Glader, Paul H Gross, Stacey Hall, Edward A. Hurvitz, Michael Kruer, Thomas Larrew, Neena Marupudi, Patrick G. McPhee, Stephen A Nichols, Garey Noritz, Joyce Oleszek, Justin Ramsey, Jeffrey Raskin, Heather Riordan, Brandon Rocque, Manish Shah, Benjamin J Shore, M. Wade Shrader, David Spence, Charles B. Stevenson, Richard Stevenson, Sruthi P. Thomas, Joyce P Trost, Stephen R. Wisniewski
Institutions: Washington University in St. Louis, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Akron Children's Hospital, Seattle Children's Hospital, University of Washington, Children's Hospital of Oklahoma, University of Michigan, C. S. Mott Children's Hospital, Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare, Children's Mercy Hospital, University of Missouri–Kansas City, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Cerebral Palsy Research Network, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Michigan Medicine, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix Children's Hospital, Riley Hospital for Children, Indiana University Indianapolis, Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado Anschutz, Lurie Children's Hospital, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Children's of Alabama, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard University, Campbell Clinic, University of Virginia, Baylor College of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7154592385