Medical complications after acquired pediatric injury to the Central nervous system: a scoping review.

Abstract

Purpose: This scoping review aims to give an overview of the literature describing medical complications in children from 2 to 17 years, arising in the subacute and chronic phases after pediatric CNS injury, and to identify knowledge gaps on the subject.

Methods: Our scoping review of publications in databases Embase and Medline follows the guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA).

Results: We identified 11,497 articles published from 2000 to 2024. Initial screening reduced these to 1,220, which were reviewed in full-text, resulting in inclusion of 373 publications. Acquired brain injury was the most common CNS injury, with neoplastic etiology as the dominating subgroup. The majority of the articles were retrospective studies and case studies. Most publications reported one complication, and comprehensive approaches were scarce. Epilepsy and endocrine disturbances were the most frequently reported complications in brain injury patients, and scoliosis and pressure ulcers predominated in the spinal cord injury group.

Conclusion: Despite a broad literature on the current topic, more longitudinal studies are needed, especially studies with a comprehensive approach to the medical complications that can occur after the acute phase in children with CNS injury.