Neurologic complications in children hospitalized with influenza: characteristics, incidence, and risk factors.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the characteristics, incidence, and risk factors for influenza-related neurologic complications (INC).


METHODS
A retrospective cohort study of INC in children hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed influenza infection (LCI) from June 2000 to May 2004 was conducted. Systematic chart review was performed to identify clinical characteristics and outcomes. A neighborhood cohort was constructed to estimate the incidence of INC. Logistic regression was used to identify independent risk factors for INC.


RESULTS
Of 842 patients with LCI, 72 patients had an INC: influenza-related encephalopathy (8), post-infectious influenza encephalopathy (2), seizures (56), and other (6). Febrile seizures were the most common type of seizures (27). No patient died from an INC. In our neighborhood cohort, the incidence of INC was 4 cases per 100,000 person-years. An age of 6 to 23 months (odds ratio [OR], 4.2; 95% CI, 1.4-12.5) or 2 to 4 years (OR, 6.3; 95% CI, 2.1-19.1) and an underlying neurologic or neuromuscular disease (OR, 5.6; 95% CI, 3.2-9.6) were independent risk factors for the development of INC.


CONCLUSIONS
Seizures are the most common neurologic complication experienced by children hospitalized with influenza. In the United States, encephalopathy is uncommon. Young children and patients with neurologic or neuromuscular disease are at increased risk for INC.
Newland
Jason G
JG
Division of Infectious Diseases, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA. jnewland1@cmh.edu
Laurich
V Matt
VM
Rosenquist
Anna W
AW
Heydon
Kateri
K
Licht
Daniel J
DJ
Keren
Ron
R
Zaoutis
Theoklis E
TE
Watson
Barbara
B
Hodinka
Richard L
RL
Coffin
Susan E
SE
D017677:Age Distribution; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011336:Probability; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D003294:Seizures, Febrile / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric