Persistence of Neuropsychological Deficits Following Pediatric Critical Illness.

Abstract

To study 12-month persistence of neuropsychological deficits in PICU survivors. Prospective follow-up study. Two PICUs. Children 5-16 years old with neuropsychological deficits 3-6 months following PICU care for meningoencephalitis, sepsis, and other critical illnesses (excluding other primary neurological disorders). None. Neuropsychological function was assessed using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery, the Children's Memory Scale, and the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence or Wide Range Intelligence Test. Forty-seven of 88 PICU admitted children (53%) were identified as neuropsychologically impaired 3-6 months after discharge; of these, 23 provided 12-month follow-up data. In spite of significant improvements in measures of memory, there was little change in intelligence quotient and visual attention over the study period, and children's educational progress remained below expectation. We found persistently reduced neuropsychological function following PICU admission in the critical illnesses under study.