1: Wien Klin Wochenschr 1999 Dec 10;111(22-23):978-80 Related Articles, Books,
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The course of Lyme disease in different age groups.

Barskova VG, Fedorov ES, Ananieva LP.

Lyme Disease Study Group, Russian Academy of Medical Science, Moscow, Russia.

Lyme disease is a multisystem infection affecting all age groups. In this study
an attempt was made to determine whether the patient's age influences the
course of the disease. One hundred and fifty patients with diagnosed Lyme
disease were included in the study. Two serological methods were used to detect
antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi and to confirm the diagnosis: an indirect
immunofluorescence assay (the Russian strain Ip-21) and Western blot. The
course of Lyme disease did not differ from that seen in Europe and North
America. However, a few clinical differences between groups were observed. In
the first age group (0-15 years) the most common manifestation was flu-like
symptoms with fever. Neither radiculoneuritis nor polyneuropathy was observed
in this age group. Late manifestations were rare and the outcome of the disease
was benign. The course of the disease in the second group (16-40 years) was
most similar to that in childhood and the also outcome was similar. Carditis
and erythema multiple were significantly more common in the second group (16-40
years) than in the other age groups. No differences were found between the
third (41-60 years) and fourth (> than 60 years) group in the frequency of
flu-like symptoms, erythema multiple and aseptic meningitis. However, the most
important clinical sign in this group was involvement of the nervous system
whereas in the third group this was joint damage. This feature deserves
attention because, as a rule, the presence of an articular syndrome determines
the prognosis of LD.

PMID: 10666813 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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