Longitudinal outcomes of Haemophilus influenzae meningitis in school-age children

The purpose of this study was to investigate long-term outcomes of Haemophilus influenzae Type b meningitis in a cohort of school-age survivors. Findings from an initial assessment at mean age 10 years revealed neuropsychological, achievement, and behavioral sequelae in the children with neurologic complications during the acute-phase illness (H. Taylor, C. Schatschneider, & D. Rich, 1992). Here, the cohort was reassessed I and 2 years after the initial evaluation to investigate age-related influences on disease sequelae. After excluding children with hearing loss, the sample was divided into 2 groups: an affected group of 39 children with acute-phase neurologic complications and an unaffected group of 73 children without these complications. Growth-curve modeling showed poorer outcomes at the final assessment and less rapid improvement at follow-up for the affected group. Later age at assessment and later age at illness were associated with larger group differences in some outcomes. Results suggest that children with diffuse early brain insults are at risk for later-emerging sequelae.