Bone Abstracts

Objective: The aim of the study was to establish effect of nutritional status on bone mineral density in children with cerebral palsy.

Methods: The nutritional status was established in 23 children, both genders, with cerebral palsy, who were hospitalized at the Clinic for children habilitation and rehabilitation and at the, ‘Veternik’ Home, between January 1 and December 31, 2014. Evaluation of nutritional status has been done based on BMI. BMI percentiles were expressed according to gender and the chronological age, based on WHO norms and recommendations from 2007. Assessment of bone mineral density was done using osteodensitometry (dual X-ray absorptiometry-DXA). In statistical analysis, descriptive and nonparametric statistics were used.

Results: From total number of subjects, who were between 6 and 17 years of age, even 20 (87%) was malnourished, and only three subjects were fed using percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG). Assessment of bone mineral density has been done, where z-score at the spine was −2.00±1.73, and z-score at the hip was −2.00±1.33. By Spearman’s correlation coefficient it was established that there is a statistically significant connection between BMD at the spine and BMI (ρ 0.737). This correlation is positive, with statistical significance at the level of 0.01. There is a statistically significant connection between z-score at the spine and BMI, with statistical significance at the level of 0.01. BMI categories of malnourished and non-malnourished subjects were compared to the z-score, using chi-square test (χ²) and no statistically significant difference was found.

Conclusion: Nutritional status in children with cerebral palsy, assessed using BMI, points that lower nutritional status is connected to lower bone mineral density.

Disclosure: The authors declared no competing interests.