LONGTERM FOLLOW‐UP OF NEONATAL SEPTICEMIA

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Abstract
The long-term prognosis of neonatal septicemia during the first 4 wk of life was estimated. Of 90 infants with the diagnosis of neonatal septicemia during a 5 yr period, 1969-1973, 65 infants survived the initial treatment. Another 2 infants died with complications of their main disease, intestinal atresia, at the age of 2 mo. The total mortality in neonatal septicemia in this series was 30%. The remaining 63 children were investigated between ages of 2 1/2 and 6 1/2 yr. Of these 63 children, 14 children (22% of the surviving) were found with handicaps where the septicemia can be regarded as a possible cause of the handicap. Of these 14 children, only 6 had an uncomplicated septicemia, while 4 of them had meningitis and 4 had osteomyelitis. Of the 14 handicapped children, 9 were delivered preterm (28-36 wk) and all of them had 1 or more additional neonatal diagnoses than septicemia. The prognosis, immediate and long-term, of neonatal septicemia in the present series compares favorably to most international studies. The importance of early detection together with an aggressive treatment of the septicemia is stressed and is considered as the main reason for the good prognosis.