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[Risk factors for clinical prognosis in bacterial meningitis beyond the neonatal period]

K Nagai1, Y Sakata

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, St. Mary's Hospital.

Kansenshogaku Zasshi. the Journal of the Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases
|October 22, 1998
PubMed

Insights

Bacterial meningitis in children beyond the neonatal period is often caused by Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Streptococcus pneumoniae infection led to worse outcomes compared to Haemophilus influenzae.

Area of Science:

  • Clinical Microbiology
  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Bacterial meningitis remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in children.
  • Understanding common pathogens and prognostic factors is crucial for improving patient outcomes.
  • This study focuses on bacterial meningitis cases beyond the neonatal period.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify common bacterial pathogens causing meningitis in pediatric patients.
  • To analyze risk factors influencing the prognosis of bacterial meningitis.
  • To compare outcomes between different causative pathogens.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective clinical study of 64 pediatric bacterial meningitis cases (1985-1995).
  • Data collected included patient demographics, causative pathogens, and clinical outcomes.
  • Statistical analysis was performed to identify prognostic factors and compare pathogen-specific outcomes.

Main Results:

  • Haemophilus influenzae (43.8%) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (35.9%) were the most frequent pathogens.
  • Prognosis outcomes included normal recovery (65.6%), neurological sequelae (26.6%), and death (7.8%).
  • Admission body temperature, platelet count, and CSF parameters (WBC, glucose, GOT, GPT) were significant prognostic factors.
  • Bacterial meningitis caused by S. pneumoniae had a significantly worse prognosis than that caused by H. influenzae (p = 0.0347).

Conclusions:

  • Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae are leading causes of bacterial meningitis in children beyond the neonatal period.
  • Clinical and laboratory parameters at admission are critical for predicting patient outcomes.
  • The causative pathogen significantly impacts prognosis, with S. pneumoniae associated with poorer outcomes.

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