Pediatric Neurologic Complications Associated With Influenza A H1N1

• Published in: Pediatric neurology Vol. 44; no. 1; pp. 47 - 51
• Main Authors: Landau, Yuval E., MD, PhD, Grisaru-Soen, Galia, MD, Reif, Shimon, MD, Fattal-Valevski, Aviva, MD, MHA
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adolescent; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child Behavior Disorders - epidemiology; Child Behavior Disorders - etiology; Child, Preschool; Cohort Studies; Encephalitis - epidemiology; Encephalitis - etiology; Female; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infant; Infectious diseases; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype; Influenza, Human - complications; Influenza, Human - mortality; Israel - epidemiology; Male; Medical sciences; Nervous System Diseases - epidemiology; Nervous System Diseases - etiology; Nervous System Diseases - mortality; Neurology; Pediatrics; Retrospective Studies; Seizures, Febrile - epidemiology; Seizures, Febrile - etiology; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the respiratory system and ent viral diseases; Israel; Human; Infection; Pediatrics; Nervous system diseases; Respiratory disease; H1N1 influenza; Viral disease; Complication; Influenza A; Child
• ISSN: 0887-8994; 1873-5150
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2010.08.011

Influenza is associated with a variety of neurologic complications. Although the epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of influenza A H1N1 were reviewed in depth, only brief descriptions of neurologic complications exist. We describe the neurologic complications of children hospitalized with influenza A H1N1 infection. We undertook a retrospective study of all hospitalized children with laboratory-confirmed influenza A H1N1 infection accompanied by neurologic complications during a 4-month winter period. Their demographics and clinical characteristics of neurologic presentations were reviewed. Fourteen of 74 children (19%) with laboratory-confirmed influenza A H1N1 infection presented with neurologic complications. Eleven (11/14, 79%) were previously healthy, and three exhibited chronic conditions. Ten (10/14, 71%) presented with seizures: six were febrile, and four were nonfebrile. Other complications included transverse myelitis, myositis, expressive aphasia, and syncope. Only the child with transverse myelitis required a course of rehabilitation. Neurologic complications associated with influenza A H1N1 in our patients were relatively mild. Seizures (febrile or nonfebrile) were the most common. However, the possibility of influenza A H1N1 infection should be borne in mind when diagnosing children with neurologic signs during the influenza A H1N1 season.