Long-term sequelae of pneumococcal meningitis in children.
The purpose of this study was to assess the long-term effects of pneumococcal meningitis in children. From 1967 to 1988, a total of 90 children were admitted to the Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Thessaloniki, Greece, with the diagnosis of pneumococcal meningitis. Sixteen patients died in the hospital as a direct result of meningitis. Eleven others were excluded from the study (neurologic deficits prior to onset of meningitis, two; death subsequent to hospitalization, two; recurrent meningitis, seven). Of the remaining 63 survivors, we were able to evaluate 47 patients (75%). Evaluation was performed 4 to 23 years (mean 12.3 +/- 5.8 years) after discharge. Forty patients returned to hospital for evaluation, and seven were evaluated by their primary physicians, who sent information by a standardized questionnaire. The following examinations were carried out: history, physical and neurologic examination, ophthalmologic and hearing evaluation, and psychometric testing. Fourteen patients (30%) had at least one neurologic handicap; nine (19%) had mental retardation, eight (17%) hearing loss, seven (15%) seizure disorder, five (11%) motor defects, and one each (2%) behavioral problems and visual impairment. The presence of coma was the strongest predictor of increased morbidity. The high frequency of long-term sequelae observed in our study supports the need of an effective vaccine.
Pikis
A
A
Department of Infectious Diseases, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC 20010-2970, USA.
Kavaliotis
J
J
Tsikoulas
J
J
Andrianopoulos
P
P
Venzon
D
D
Manios
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003128:Coma; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008586:Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Q000150:complications*; D011379:Prognosis