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Outcomes of bacterial meningitis in children
1Service de pédiatrie, hôpital Jean-Verdier, université Paris 13, AP-HP, 93140 Bondy, France.
Insights
Long-term follow-up for pediatric bacterial meningitis is variable, with 32% of children experiencing sequelae. Standardized national surveillance is recommended to improve outcomes and track long-term effects.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Neurology
- Public Health
Background:
- Bacterial meningitis poses immediate risks to children, but long-term outcomes are not well-documented.
- Understanding the sequelae of pediatric bacterial meningitis is crucial for effective patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the duration and quality of long-term follow-up for children with bacterial meningitis.
- To estimate the incidence of sequelae in children post-bacterial meningitis.
- To compare follow-up data with existing literature.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study of 34 children (3 months-15 years) hospitalized for bacterial meningitis between 2001 and 2013.
- Analysis of follow-up duration, sequelae incidence, and specific outcomes like seizures and hearing loss.
Main Results:
- 32% of patients developed sequelae, and 15% experienced seizures.
- Hearing loss was observed in one patient, with 23.5% lacking hearing tests.
- Neuropsychological assessments in seven patients revealed no severe sequelae; follow-up duration increased over the study period.
Conclusions:
- Significant variability exists in long-term follow-up practices for pediatric bacterial meningitis.
- A standardized follow-up protocol is necessary.
- Implementation via a national surveillance network is proposed to improve monitoring and outcomes.
Objective:
Pediatricians are well aware of the immediate risks of bacterial meningitis in children. However, the long-term outcome of the disease has not been extensively studied. We aimed: (i) to evaluate the duration and quality of the long-term follow-up of children diagnosed with bacterial meningitis in a general pediatric department, (ii) to estimate the incidence of sequelae at the various stages of follow-up, and (iii) to compare our data with that of other studies.
Methods:
We conducted a retrospective study and included 34 children (3 months-15 years) who had been hospitalized for bacterial meningitis in the pediatric department of a University Hospital between January 1st, 2001 and December 31st, 2013.
Results:
Overall, 32% of patients presented with sequelae and 15% with seizures. Only one patient presented with hearing loss, but 23.5% of patients did not have any hearing test performed. Seven patients had a neuropsychological assessment performed and no severe neuropsychological sequela was observed in this group. The average follow-up duration increased during the study period (from 23 to 49months). The long-term follow-up modalities observed in other studies were highly variable. Assessing the incidence and severity of sequelae was therefore difficult.
Conclusion:
A standardized follow-up should be implemented by way of a national surveillance network of children presenting with bacterial meningitis.
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