Abstract
AIM: To examine the incidence, clinical presentation and risk factors for neurological sequelae following childhood community-acquired bacterial meningitis (CABM).
METHODS: We included all children aged 1 month to 15 years old with CABM in North Denmark Region, 1998-2016. Using medical records, we registered baseline demographics, signs and symptoms at admission, laboratory investigations, and outcome assessed by the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS). A GOS score of 1-4 was considered an unfavourable outcome. We used modified Poisson regression to examine predefined risk factors for neurological sequelae among survivors.
RESULTS: We identified 88 cases of CABM in 86 patients (45 female) with a median age of 1.4 years (interquartile range 0.7-4.6). Neisseria meningitidis was the most common pathogen (48/88). Neurological sequelae occurred in 23 (27%) as hearing deficits in 13 (15%), cognitive impairment in 10 (12%) and motor or sensory nerve deficits in 8 (9%). Unfavourable outcome was observed in 16 (18%) patients and three (3%) patients died. Abnormalities on cranial imaging remained the only independent risk factor for developing neurological sequelae in adjusted analysis.
CONCLUSION: Neurological sequelae following CABM in children remain frequent and abnormal cranial imaging may be an independent risk factor.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Acta Paediatrica |
Volume | 109 |
Issue number | 2 |
Pages (from-to) | 361-367 |
Number of pages | 7 |
ISSN | 0803-5253 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Feb 2020 |
Keywords
- bacterial meningitis
- dexamethasone
- long-term sequelae
- neurological impairment
- risk factors