Interventions for managing weight change following paediatric acquired brain injury: a systematic review

Abstract

Objective: To systematically review literature reporting interventions for weight change following paediatric acquired brain injury (ABI). Method: A systematic search of the literature was conducted using advanced search techniques. The retrieval identified 1562 papers, of which 30 were relevant. The total number of paediatric participants was 759. Results: There is a paucity of higher quality evidence to support the use of weight change interventions following paediatric ABI. Substantial variation in screening, outcome measures, intervention, and reporting were demonstrated. Some support was found for the use of hypothalamic-sparing surgery as a method to prevent obesity following craniopharyngioma resection. Interpretation: There is a need for further study in this area to inform clinical and research practice; recommendations are given.