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Arch Dis Child 2006;91:478-482 doi:10.1136/adc.2005.084442
  • Original article

Does gastrostomy tube feeding in children with cerebral palsy increase the risk of respiratory morbidity?

  1. P B Sullivan1,
  2. J S Morrice1,
  3. A Vernon-Roberts1,
  4. H Grant2,
  5. M Eltumi3,
  6. A G Thomas4
  1. 1Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
  2. 2Department of Paediatric Surgery, Oxford Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
  3. 3Department of Paediatrics, Watford General Hospital, Watford, UK
  4. 4Booth Hall Children’s Hospital, Manchester, UK
  1. Correspondence to:
    Dr P B Sullivan
    Senior Lecturer and Consultant Paediatric Gastroenterologist, University of Oxford, Level 4, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headley Way, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK; peter.sullivan{at}paediatrics.ox.ac.uk
  • Accepted 18 December 2005
  • Published Online First 30 January 2006

Abstract

Background: Children with severe neurological impairment may have significant oral motor dysfunction and are at increased risk of nutritional deficiencies, poor growth, and aspiration pneumonia. Gastrostomy tube feeding is increasingly being used for nutritional support in these children.

Aim: To examine the occurrence of respiratory morbidity before and after gastrostomy feeding tube insertion in children with severe neurological disabilities.

Methods: This study was nested in a longitudinal, prospective, uncontrolled, multicentre cohort study designed to investigate the outcomes of gastrostomy tube feeding in 57 children with severe neurological disabilities. Parents completed a questionnaire prior to (visit 1) and 6 and 12 months (visits 2 and 3) following the gastrostomy, detailing number of chest infections requiring antibiotics and/or hospital admission.

Results: Mean number of chest infections requiring antibiotics was 1.8 on visit 1 and 0.9 on visit 3. Hospital admissions for chest infections fell significantly from 0.5 to 0.09.

Conclusion: This study provides no evidence for an increase in respiratory morbidity following insertion of a feeding gastrostomy in children with cerebral palsy.

Footnotes

  • Published Online First 30 January 2006

  • Funding: this research was made possible by a generous grant from Sports Aiding Research for Kids (SPARKS)

  • Competing interests: none declared

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  4. All versions of this article:
    1. adc.2005.084442v1
    2. 91/6/478 most recent

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