Meta-Analysis Confirms Cord Blood Improves Motor Function in Cerebral Palsy

Meta-Analysis Confirms Cord Blood Improves Motor Function in Cerebral Palsy

A major meta-analysis published in Pediatrics pooled individual participant data from 11 clinical trials involving 498 children with cerebral palsy and found that cord blood treatment significantly improved gross motor function, with measurable gains at both 6 and 12 months.

What is cerebral palsy?

Cerebral palsy (CP) is caused by damage to the developing brain, usually occurring before or during a baby’s birth, and affects movement, muscle tone, and coordination. Treatment options for improving motor function have remained limited — supportive therapies can help, but there is no established treatment that addresses the underlying brain injury.

Cerebral Palsy in New Zealand

According to the New Zealand Neurological Foundation, cerebral palsy affects 1 in 500 New Zealand children – making it the leading childhood disability in Aotearoa.

The Meta-Analysis

Umbilical cord blood (UCB) has been investigated as a potential treatment for CP, with individual trials indicating it can improve gross motor function. However, differences across studies have made it difficult to draw firm conclusions from any single trial. To address this, researchers conducted an individual participant data meta-analysis — bringing together the raw data from multiple studies for a combined analysis.

The analysis included 498 participant data records from 11 studies. The main comparison of 170 participants treated with UCB and 171 controls found that UCB increased mean GMFM-66 score by 1.36 points at 6 months (95% CI, 0.41–2.32; P = .005) and 1.42 points at 12 months (95% CI, 0.31–2.52; P = .012). The rate of serious adverse events was similar between groups, supporting the safety of cord blood treatment in this population.

Further analysis showed that higher cell doses were associated with greater improvement at both 3 months (P < .001) and 12 months (P = .047). Younger participants — approximately under 5 years — with milder (ambulant) CP showed increased benefits for improving gross motor function.

The authors concluded that UCB is safe and provides benefit for improving gross motor function in some children with CP, and that the findings will help design future trials with greater precision.

Learn more about the meta-analysis here.