[Purulent meningitis in children. II. Treatment and prognosis]

In the years 1970 to 1979 312 patients with purulent meningitis were treated at the University of Innsbruck, Department of Pediatrics. The overall fatality rate was 16%, the majority of fatal cases were due to gram negative organisms before 1977. The mortality rate of meningococcal meningitis due to H. influenzae was 5.6 and 1.6%, respectively and compares very well to reports in the literature. 12% of children are severely handicapped. Hearing impairment is the most frequent cause of retardation with 6.8%. We compared therapeutic results of two different treatment regimen in our clinic with the therapeutic results in other centers reported in the literature. The combination of ampicillin and chloramphenicol was superior to other treatment modalities particularly ampicillin monotherapy in H. influenzae meningitis and meningitis due to unknown organisms. Theoretical reservations against this combination have been eliminated by the proof of the bactericidal action of chloramphenicol against the most common meningeal pathogens and the synergistic action with beta lactam antibiotics. In pneumococcal meningitis the administration of high doses of Na-Penicillin G as i. v. bolus proved to be connected with unexpected complications and fatalities. The administration of 25000-40000 E Na Penicillin G as an i. v. infusion over 1 hour 4--6 times daily was a less hazardous yet effective therapy. Unsatisfying results in the treatment of gram negative meningitis in neonates prompted the investigation of a new compound fosfomycin for this indication. In vitro investigation of the antimicrobial activity against 68 meningeal pathogens and investigation of this drug in a lapine model showed encouraging results. In the last years a limited clinical trial in severely affected newborn infants was done with promising therapeutic efficacy. A larger scale investigation of this drug is now proceeding in form of a National cooperative Study of gram negative meningitis in Austria. Besides an effective antimicrobial treatment particular attention has to be paid to an adequate fluid and electrolyte replacement. Symptomatic therapy of complications e. g. seizures as well as continuous close monitoring of all vital signs is mandatory for optimal therapeutic success. Subdural effusions have been observed infrequently and only diagnostic subdural punctures have been performed.