Long-term mortality and late sequelae after bacterial meningitis: A matched cohort study with six decades of follow-up
8 affiliations
- 1Department of Infectious Diseases, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark; Correspondence to: Zealand University Hospital, Vestermarksvej 9, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark.
- 2Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- 3Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Bacteria, Parasites and Fungi, Research Unit for Reproductive Microbiology, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
- 4Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
- 5Copenhagen City Archives, Copenhagen, Denmark
- 6Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and Audiology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
- 7Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Corresponding author.
- 8Department of Infectious Diseases, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
Abstract
Objectives: Investigate long-term consequences of bacterial meningitis. Methods: A matched cohort study linking a clinical database on paediatric and adult patients with bacterial meningitis in Denmark from 1966 to 1977 with national registries until 2025. Patients were matched 1:5 with population controls and included along with sibling controls. Hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated for mortality from 1 year after admission and for neurological and otological disorders from 20 years after admission. Results: We included 724 patients with a median age of 17 years. Initial disease and treatment characteristics were not associated with long-term mortality. Patients had higher mortality than 3620 population controls (HR 1.33 [95% CI 1.16–1.53]) and 695 siblings of patients had higher mortality than 3313 siblings of population controls (HR 1.42 [95% CI 1.06–1.91]). Patients had an increased risk of cerebrovascular diseases (HR 1.46 [95% CI 1.04–2.04]), migraine and other headache syndromes (HR 1.76 [95% CI 1.11–2.80]), and hearing loss (HR 1.56 [95% CI 1.13–2.17]), whereas the risk of dementia and residence in 24-hour care facilities was comparable to population controls. Conclusions: Patients with bacterial meningitis had modest long-term excess mortality, potentially attributable to familial factors. We found no association with neurodegenerative diseases occurring late after bacterial meningitis.
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BibTeX
@article{petersen2026longterm,
title = {{Long-term mortality and late sequelae after bacterial meningitis: A matched cohort study with six decades of follow-up}},
author = {Pelle Trier Petersen and Niels Obel and Lars Haukali Omland and Malte Mose Tetens and Nicolai Eberholst and Niels Rasmussen and Vilhelm A. Bohr and Christian Thomas Brandt},
journal = {Journal of Infection},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1016/j.jinf.2026.106846},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinf.2026.106846},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Long-term mortality and late sequelae after bacterial meningitis: A matched cohort study with six decades of follow-up
AU - Pelle Trier Petersen
AU - Niels Obel
AU - Lars Haukali Omland
AU - Malte Mose Tetens
AU - Nicolai Eberholst
AU - Niels Rasmussen
AU - Vilhelm A. Bohr
AU - Christian Thomas Brandt
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/23
JO - Journal of Infection
DO - 10.1016/j.jinf.2026.106846
UR - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinf.2026.106846
AB - Objectives: Investigate long-term consequences of bacterial meningitis. Methods: A matched cohort study linking a clinical database on paediatric and adult patients with bacterial meningitis in Denmark from 1966 to 1977 with national registries until 2025. Patients were matched 1:5 with population controls and included along with sibling controls. Hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated for mortality from 1 year after admission and for neurological and otological disorders from 20 years after admission. Results: We included 724 patients with a median age of 17 years. Initial disease and treatment characteristics were not associated with long-term mortality. Patients had higher mortality than 3620 population controls (HR 1.33 [95% CI 1.16–1.53]) and 695 siblings of patients had higher mortality than 3313 siblings of population controls (HR 1.42 [95% CI 1.06–1.91]). Patients had an increased risk of cerebrovascular diseases (HR 1.46 [95% CI 1.04–2.04]), migraine and other headache syndromes (HR 1.76 [95% CI 1.11–2.80]), and hearing loss (HR 1.56 [95% CI 1.13–2.17]), whereas the risk of dementia and residence in 24-hour care facilities was comparable to population controls. Conclusions: Patients with bacterial meningitis had modest long-term excess mortality, potentially attributable to familial factors. We found no association with neurodegenerative diseases occurring late after bacterial meningitis.
SN - 1532-2742
ER -