Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42267426›Full record

SynthesisJournal of paediatrics and child health2026

Long-Term Outcomes Following Bacterial Meningitis in Childhood: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Rafaela Drumond Araújo, Lilian Martins Oliveira Diniz, Daniela Caldas Teixeira, Ana Clara Vieira Fraga Viana, Leticia Paiva Franco, Sirley Alves da Silva Carvalho, Raquel Liboredo, Roberta Maia de Castro Romanelli

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-AnalysisReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of paediatrics and child health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Rafaela Drumond AraújoFaculty of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0003-1687-4394
Lilian Martins Oliveira DinizDepartment of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Daniela Caldas TeixeiraDepartment of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Ana Clara Vieira Fraga VianaMedical School, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of São João Del Rey, Divinopolis, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Leticia Paiva FrancoDepartment of Ophthalmology and Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Sirley Alves da Silva CarvalhoDepartment of Speech Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Raquel LiboredoFaculty of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Roberta Maia de Castro RomanelliDepartment of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThis study conducted a systematic literature review to answer the question: "What is the frequency of post-discharge complications in patients who had bacterial meningitis during childhood and adolescence?"

methodsObservational studies assessing post-discharge complications in patients aged 29 days to 18 years with bacterial meningitis were included. Studies on Mycobacterium tuberculosis meningitis or lacking clear diagnostic criteria were excluded. Searches were performed in July 2025 across seven databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, LILACS, and BVS). Evidence certainty was assessed using GRADE. Data on events and total participants were synthesized quantitatively.

resultsThirteen studies were included (sample size range: 51-3623 participants). Age at meningitis diagnosis ranged from 29 days to 18 years, with follow-up periods from 6 months to 35 years. The overall complication rate was 37.3% (95% CI 28.7-46.9). The most frequent sequelae were cognitive impairment (21.6%; 95% CI 13.2-32.8), emotional/behavioural problems (15.3%; 95% CI 8.1-26.8), and hearing loss (14.3%; 95% CI 7.7-25.1). DISCUSSION: Bacterial meningitis in childhood is associated with a significant and persistent impact on health and development. Despite heterogeneity across studies, a consistently high burden of auditory, motor, cognitive, and behavioural sequelae is observed, underscoring the need for long-term follow-up of affected individuals.

Indexed as

Meningitis, BacterialAdolescentChildChild, PreschoolHumansInfantInfant, Newbornbacterial meningitischild healthcomplications

Identifiers

PMID42267426
PMCPMC13480791

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.