title: 5-y Follow-up study of patients with neuroborreliosis.
abstract: The objective of this follow-up study was to determine the long-term outcome of strictly classified cases of neuroborreliosis treated with antibiotics. A 1-y prospective population-based survey of Lyme borreliosis was conducted in southern Sweden between 1992 and 1993. A total of 349 identified cases with suspected neuroborreliosis were followed up 5 y later. Medical records were reviewed and all participants filled in a questionnaire. Of those patients classified with definite neuroborreliosis, 114/130 completed the follow-up, of whom 111 had completed the initial antibiotic treatment. Of the 114 patients followed up, 86 (75%) had recovered completely and 70 (61%) had recovered within 6 months. Residual neurological symptoms, such as facial palsy, concentration disorder, paresthesia and/or neuropathy, were reported by 28/114 patients. No significant differences between different antibiotic treatments were observed in terms of the occurrence of sequelae. To conclude, we found that 25% (95% confidence interval 17-33%) of the patients suffered from residual neurological symptoms 5 y post-treatment. However, the clinical outcome of treated neuroborreliosis is favorable as only 14/114 (12%) patients had sequelae that influenced their daily activities post-treatment. Early diagnosis and treatment would seem to be of great importance in order to avoid such sequelae.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden. johan.berglund@ltblekinge.se
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Berglund
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stjernberg
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ornstein
authors.forename: Katarina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tykesson-Joelsson
authors.forename: Hallstein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Walter
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D020852:Lyme Neuroborreliosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents