ArticleBMC pregnancy and childbirth2026
Care trajectories of children with spinal dysraphism treated in Reunion Island between 2006 and 2024.
Article in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSpinal dysraphism (SD) requires lifelong multidisciplinary follow-up to prevent complications and optimize functional outcomes. In geographically fragmented healthcare systems, continuity of care may be challenging, particularly when patients cross regional or national borders to access specialized services. This study aimed to describe care trajectories and identify factors associated with optimal follow-up among children with SD managed in the southwestern Indian Ocean region.
methodsWe conducted a retrospective cohort study including children with SD who received active postnatal surgical management in the regional referral center of Reunion Island. Maternal, perinatal, clinical, and geographic characteristics were collected from hospital records. Optimal follow-up was defined according to the institutional multidisciplinary follow-up protocol.
resultsA total of 92 mother–infant dyads were included. Most pregnancies originated in Reunion Island (62.0%), followed by Mayotte (18.5%), the Comoros (16.3%), and Madagascar (3.3%). Prenatal diagnosis was established in 47.8% of pregnancies but varied substantially across territories. Surgical closure of the spinal defect was performed at a median age of 3 days, and ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement was required in 44.6% of patients. Overall, 39 patients (42.4%) were lost to follow-up. Optimal follow-up was achieved in only 13 patients (14.1%). Geographic factors were strongly associated with follow-up outcomes. Patients residing in Reunion Island were significantly more likely to achieve optimal follow-up than those living outside the island (p = 0.04). In contrast, clinical characteristics—including lesion level, surgical timing, ventricular shunt placement, and functional outcomes—were not associated with follow-up status.
conclusionContinuity of care for children with SD in the southwestern Indian Ocean region is strongly influenced by geographic and health system factors. Despite successful initial surgical management, long-term follow-up remains limited for many patients living outside Reunion Island. Strengthening regional healthcare coordination and cross-border care pathways may help reduce disparities in access to long-term multidisciplinary care.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.