Genetical control of B cell responses. IV. Inheritance of the unresponsiveness to lipopolysaccharides

Abstract

Long term follow up studies were performed on the three groups of infants who had either very low birth weight (birth weight between 751 and 1,500 g), idiopathic respiratory distress syndrome (IRDS) or purulent meningitis. Thus the prognosis for serious handicaps in the very low birth weight infant has improved. 78 infants with IRDS were followed up to evaluate growth and development up to 6 years and 3 months. None of the IRDS group showed gross neurologic abnormality. However, 5.3% from the same group had mental retardation. On the contrary only 1.3% of the control subjects matched for birth weight and gestational age were mentally retarded, though the difference between both groups was not significant. From 1963 to 1973, 40 neonates with purulent meningitis were treated and 23 of them survived. 10 (43.5%) appeared symptom free for sequelae, though 6 of them showed abnormal EEG. 56.5% of survivors from neonatal purulent meningitis had definite neurologic and/or mental handicaps.