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A Neonatal Imaging Model of Gram-Negative Bacterial Sepsis
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[Meningococcal sepsis in pediatrics. Parameters associated with poor outcome]

A Blanco Quirós1, J Casado Flores, M Nieto Moro

  • 1Area de Pediatría e Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular (IBGM), Universidad de Valladolid, Spain. ablanco@ped.uva.es

Anales De Pediatria (Barcelona, Spain : 2003)
|October 1, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Children with meningococcal sepsis and high body weight percentiles face increased mortality. Elevated prolactin (PRL) and leptin (LPT) levels are associated with poor outcomes in these pediatric patients.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Critical Care Medicine

Background:

  • Meningococcal sepsis has a high mortality rate.
  • Early identification of high-risk pediatric patients is crucial for effective treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify clinical and biological factors predicting poor outcomes in children with meningococcal sepsis.
  • To investigate the association between body weight percentiles, hormone levels, and mortality.

Main Methods:

  • A correlational descriptive study of 71 children (2 months to 13 years) with meningococcal sepsis.
  • Evaluation of Pediatric Risk of Mortality (PRISM), Glasgow Scale for Meningococcal Sepsis (GSMS), polymorphonuclear (PMN) count, prolactin (PRL), leptin (LPT), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels.

Main Results:

  • Mortality was 19.7%, associated with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) and high PRISM/GSMS scores.
  • Elevated PRL and PMN counts at admission were linked to fatal outcomes.
  • Higher body weight percentiles correlated with increased mortality risk and elevated PRL and LPT levels.

Conclusions:

  • Children with meningococcal sepsis and high body weight percentiles have a greater risk of death.
  • Elevated PRL and LPT levels are observed in these high-risk children, warranting further investigation into their independent roles.
Abstract

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