TY - JOUR

T1 - Children and adolescents previously treated with glucocorticoids display lower verbal intellectual abilities

AU - Holm, Sara Krøis

AU - Vestergaard, Martin

AU - Madsen, Kathrine Skak

AU - Baaré, William Frans Christiaan

AU - Hammer, Trine Bjørg

AU - Born, Alfred Peter

AU - Siebner, Hartwig Roman

AU - Paulson, Olaf B.

AU - Uldall, Peter Vilhelm

N1 - ©2015 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

PY - 2015/8

Y1 - 2015/8

N2 - AIM: Perinatal exposure to glucocorticoids has been associated with adverse cerebral effects, but little is known about their effect on cognitive development and exposure later in childhood. This study examined intellectual abilities, memory and behavioural problems in children previously treated with glucocorticoids.METHODS: We evaluated 38 children aged from seven to 16 years, who had been treated with glucocorticoids for rheumatic disease or nephrotic syndrome, together with 42 healthy controls matched for age, gender and parental education. The median cumulative dose of prednisolone equivalents was 158 mg/kg (range 21-723) and the mean time that had elapsed since treatment was three-and-a-half (standard deviation 2.2) years. Intellectual abilities were assessed with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children and memory performance and behavioural problems with a pattern recognition memory task and the Child Behaviour Check List.RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the groups in pattern recognition memory, perceptual organisation index or behavioural problems, but patients had a significantly lower verbal comprehension index and this difference was present in both disease groups. There were no significant dose-response relationships regarding verbal intellectual abilities.CONCLUSION: Children and adolescents previously treated with glucocorticoids seemed to have lower intellectual verbal abilities than healthy controls.

AB - AIM: Perinatal exposure to glucocorticoids has been associated with adverse cerebral effects, but little is known about their effect on cognitive development and exposure later in childhood. This study examined intellectual abilities, memory and behavioural problems in children previously treated with glucocorticoids.METHODS: We evaluated 38 children aged from seven to 16 years, who had been treated with glucocorticoids for rheumatic disease or nephrotic syndrome, together with 42 healthy controls matched for age, gender and parental education. The median cumulative dose of prednisolone equivalents was 158 mg/kg (range 21-723) and the mean time that had elapsed since treatment was three-and-a-half (standard deviation 2.2) years. Intellectual abilities were assessed with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children and memory performance and behavioural problems with a pattern recognition memory task and the Child Behaviour Check List.RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the groups in pattern recognition memory, perceptual organisation index or behavioural problems, but patients had a significantly lower verbal comprehension index and this difference was present in both disease groups. There were no significant dose-response relationships regarding verbal intellectual abilities.CONCLUSION: Children and adolescents previously treated with glucocorticoids seemed to have lower intellectual verbal abilities than healthy controls.

KW - Adolescent

KW - Child

KW - Female

KW - Glucocorticoids

KW - Humans

KW - Intelligence Tests

KW - Male

KW - Nephrotic Syndrome

KW - Retrospective Studies

KW - Rheumatic Diseases

KW - Speech Disorders

U2 - 10.1111/apa.13010

DO - 10.1111/apa.13010

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 25801849

VL - 104

SP - 784

EP - 791

JO - Acta Paediatrica

JF - Acta Paediatrica

SN - 0803-5253

IS - 8

ER -