Outcomes of children treated for Lyme disease.
OBJECTIVE
To study the outcome of Lyme disease (LD) in children identified in a total population survey of an endemic island.


METHODS
We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study off the coast of Massachusetts. Twenty-five children who met the Centers for Disease Control case definition for prior LD were compared with 26 children without LD from the same community. All children with LD received antibiotics during the acute phase of their disease. All 51 children were invited for a clinical evaluation, including 12-lead electrocardiogram (EKG), and measurement of antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi by antibody-capture ELISA and Western blot.


RESULTS
At a mean of 3.2 years from the initial manifestation of LD, children with prior LD did not have a higher prevalence of musculoskeletal or neurological symptoms, examination abnormalities, abnormal EKG, or behavioral difficulties, compared to children with no history of LD.


CONCLUSIONS
Children who receive appropriate antimicrobial therapy for LD appear to have no demonstrable longterm morbidity.
Wang
T J
TJ
Department of Medicine, and Robert B. Brigham Multipurpose Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Sangha
O
O
Phillips
C B
CB
Wright
E A
EA
Lew
R A
RA
Fossel
A H
AH
Fossel
K
K
Shadick
N A
NA
Liang
M H
MH
Sundel
R P
RP
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D010406:Penicillins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012008:Recurrence; D012016:Reference Values; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D010406:Penicillins; D000658:Amoxicillin