Abstract
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is the most common cause of neonatal meningitis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the neurologic, psychologic, and academic status of children who had GBS. Patients were identified by chart review of the records at CHP and Magee-Womens Hospital for the period 1965-1980. Fifty-one children (26 girls and 25 boys) who developed GBS between 1 day and 6 months of life formed the study population. Infants with early onset GBS sepsis with shock were excluded. Survivors were 3 to 18 years old at the time of their follow-up evaluations. Nine children died, two were institutionalized, 13 were assessed by phone interview and one was lost to follow-up. Twenty-six children and 16 siblings were comprehensively evaluated with physical and neurological examinations, hearing tests, and tests of intellectual and behavioral function. Of the total population, 7 children (14%) had major neurological sequelae (spastic quadraplegia, profound mental retardation, heniparesis or deafness). Five children developed acute hydrocephalus; two were doing well after shunt placement. When ten study children (without major neurologic sequelae) and close-in-age sibling controls were compared, mean full-scale IQs on WISC-R/WPPSI were 107 in the study group and III in the controls. Of importance, 26 children appeared to be functioning normally or comparably to their sibling in all respects. There was no apparent relationship between outcome and age at onset, birthweight or CSF pleocytosis.
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Wald, E., Bergman, I., Chiponis, D. et al. LONG-TERM OUTCOME OF GROUP B STREPTOCOCCAL MENINGITIS. Pediatr Res 18 (Suppl 4), 116 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-00139
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-00139
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