Cardiovascular disease risk in adults with spastic bilateral cerebral palsy.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To explore: (i) cardiovascular disease risk factors and the 10-year clustered risk of a fatal cardiovascular event in adults with spastic bilateral cerebral palsy; and (ii) relationships between the 10-year risk and body fat, aerobic fitness and physical activity. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS: Forty-three adults with spastic bilateral cerebral palsy without severe cognitive impairment (mean age 36.6 years (standard deviation 6); 27 men). METHODS: Biological and lifestyle-related risk factors and the 10-year risk according to the Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) were assessed. Relationships were studied using multivariable linear regression analysis. RESULTS: The following single risk factors were present: hypertension (n_=_12), elevated total cholesterol (n_=_3), low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (n_=_5; all men), high-risk waist circumference (n_=_11), obesity (body mass index; n_=_5; all men), reduced aerobic fitness (on average 80% of reference values), reduced level of everyday physical activity (on average 78% of reference values) and smoking (n=9). All participants had a 10-year risk <1%. Corrected for gender, participants with higher waist circumference (__=_0.28; p_=_0.06) or body mass index (_=0.25; p_=_0.08) tended to have a higher 10-year risk. CONCLUSION: In this relatively young adult sample of people with spastic bilateral cerebral palsy several single cardiovascular disease risk factors were present. The 10-year fatal cardiovascular disease risk was low, and higher body fat tended to be related to higher 10-year risk.