Clinical Patterns of Cerebral Palsy in Pediatric Patients From Tertiary Referral Hospitals in Dubai, United Arab Emirates: A Retrospective Observational Study From 2018 to 2020

Background Cerebral palsy (CP) is a neurological condition characterized by a combined impairment of posture, movement, and motor function, as well as potential sensory, neurological, and musculoskeletal problems. It is a chronic disorder caused by non-progressive aberrations in the evolving fetal or newborn brain. Objectives To examine the potential association between different comorbidities, genders, and clinical patterns associated with CP and to observe the prevalence of CP in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Methods This was a retrospective observational study using previously collected data from 283 pediatric patients aged 18 years or younger diagnosed with CP at the Al Jalila Children's Hospital and Latifa Women and Children’s Hospital. Data collection period spanned from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2020. Data was analyzed using chi-square and proportion tests. Results Two hundred and thirty-one patients (89.9%) presented with spastic CP. Quadriplegia was the most prevalent type of spastic topography, which was found in 103 patients (44.6%), followed by diplegia (85 patients, 36.8%). Perinatal asphyxia was the most common etiology (150 patients, 52.7%). There was no statistically significant correlation between demographic data and the different comorbidities. Conclusions The study showed that spastic quadriplegia was the most common type of CP in this Dubai cohort. Perinatal asphyxia was the most common etiology.