Outcome in people with open spina bifida at age 35: prospective community based cohort study

doi:10.1136/bmj.326.7403.1365

BMJ 2003;326:1365-1366 (21 June), doi:10.1136/bmj.326.7403.1365

Paper

Outcome in people with open spina bifida at age 35: prospective community based cohort study

Gillian M Hunt, retired research clinician¹, Pippa Oakeshott, senior lecturer in general practice²

¹ Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 2QQ, ² Department of Community Health, St George's Hospital Medical School, London SW17 0RE

Correspondence to: G M Hunt 65 Grantchester Street, Cambridge CB3 9HZ jill.poulton@freeuk.com

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Introduction

The introduction of the cerebrospinal fluid shunt led to a fourfold increase in survival of babies with open spina bifida in theUnited Kingdom.¹ In 1963 a prospective independent reviewwas set up to record the results and implications of the new treatment.^{2
3} Such data are crucial to the dilemmas associatedwith termination of affected pregnancies or treatment at birth.⁴ We investigated survival, disability, health, and lifestylesin a complete cohort of adults with spina bifida.

Participants, methods, and results

Between 1963 and 1971, 117 babies had their backs closed atAddenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, without any attempt at selection.Before closure of the back each baby had a full neurologicalexamination. When necessary, hydrocephalus was controlled bythe insertion of a ventriculoatrial shunt. In spring 2002 wereviewed the cohort by confidential postal questionnaire backed by a telephone call to the patient or carer. The Office forNational Statistics provided information on deaths.

Ascertainment . . . [Full text of this article]

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