Prognostic score in acute meningococcemia

A prognostic score for children with acute meningococcemia is proposed. We reviewed 176 consecutive patients with acute meningococcemia with ten fatalities admitted to our pediatric ICU in the last 3 yr. The score was obtained from patients in shock, using a stepwise linear discriminant analysis of 18 clinical and laboratory variables on admission. Nine variables showed a significant discriminant power in predicting survival and death: coma, base excess, platelets, glucose, temperature, WBC, sex, purpura, and CSF. The score predicted survival in 100% and death in 91%. The predictive values were significantly better than evaluation by the frequencies of the usual clinical and laboratory variables.