By Walter F. Roche Jr.
A federally financed study of victims of a 2012 fungal meningitis outbreak has found that even months after the outbreak those victims who survived are facing long term after effects with some unable to perform basic daily activities.
The study, which was underwritten by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, followed some 440 victims of the outbreak which was caused by fungus laden steroids produced by a now defunct Massachusetts drug compounding firm.
The study followed the diagnosis and treatment of victims from several states including 24 from New Jersey 18 from Indiana, 11 from Tennessee and 10 from Michigan.
The study was published in the Open Forum Infectious Diseases.
At 12 months 68 percent of the study patients with a spinal or paraspinal infection had "persistent or worsening pain," the report states.
Of the 440 in the study group 123 has both a spinal/para spinal infection and meningitis. Ten had died and 72 per cent said pain persisted.
In addition to the effects of the original infection, the study found that the majority of patients treated with antifungal drugs, amphotericin and vorinconazole, suffered adverse effects including hallucinations, blurry vision and general fuzziness in the head.
Of those in the study group 51 per cent or 223 had spinal infections while 82 patients had suffered fungal meningitis or a stroke. A total of 123 patients had suffered both a spinal infection and meningitis.
Persistent pain and disability were seen at 12 months for most patients with spinal/para spinal infections, the study found.
Women comprised 58 per cent of the study group and the median age was 65.
Six months after the outbreak 10 patients in the study group were suffering cognitive disfunctions.
"A surprising number of patients complained of feelings of fogginess and slowness in carrying out their day to day activities," the study states.
Some needed assistance to walk or had slurred speech up to 12 months after the outbreak and at the one year mark 64 patients continued to have unchanged or worsening pain.
A total of 117 patients had arachnoiditis, an inflammation of a membrane in the spinal column.
"Many patients with arachnoiditis had both epidural and intradural infection as well as involvement of para spinal infections," the report states.
"Arachnoiditis proved to be exceptionally difficult to treat," the report states.
The study found seven patients suffered relapses and four of the seven had initially contracted fungal meningitis.
The overall mortality rate was 8 per cent, but those suffering fungal meningitis were 8 times more likely to die than those with a spinal/para spinal infection.
But the study found that many of those with a spinal/para spinal infection "had persistent pain and inability to perform activities of daily living for at least 12 months."
Contact: wfrochejr999@gmail.com
Wonder how much was spent on the study ?
ReplyDeleteDid Medicare, private insurance and others get there 18% at least that’s what I was robbed. I had it all and still 8 years later continue to decline.
I’m sure I’m not alone with constant pain, brain fog,
I am grateful for the study, but it seems like a long time to get the answers
Best of everything, to my fellow victims