Cognitive Development One Year After Infantile Critical Pertussis

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Critical Care
• Neurodevelopmental Pediatrics
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Pertussis (whooping cough) poses a severe threat to infants, potentially leading to life-threatening illness.
• Limited data exist on the long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes for infants who have experienced critical pertussis.
• Assessing cognitive development is crucial for understanding the sequelae of severe pertussis in infants.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the cognitive development of infants one year after discharge from the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) following critical pertussis.
• To identify potential neurodevelopmental deficits in this high-risk infant population.

Main Methods:

• A prospective cohort study was conducted across multiple US sites.
• Infants under one year old with confirmed pertussis admitted to the PICU for at least 24 hours were enrolled.
• Cognitive development was assessed using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning at a 1-year follow-up visit.

Main Results:

• Over half (57%) of eligible infants completed the cognitive assessment.
• Significantly lower mean scores were observed in visual reception, receptive language, and expressive language compared to norms (p < 0.001).
• Motor domains (fine and gross) were not significantly different from norms. Older age and Hispanic ethnicity were associated with lower cognitive scores.

Conclusions:

• Infants surviving critical pertussis frequently exhibit neurodevelopmental deficits.
• These deficits highlight the need for systematic neurodevelopmental screening in infants who have recovered from severe pertussis.
• Early identification of deficits can guide timely interventions and support for affected children.