Acute Community-Acquired Bacterial Meningitis: Update on Clinical Presentation and Prognostic factors.

Acute Community-Acquired Bacterial Meningitis: Update on Clinical Presentation and Prognostic factors. New Microbiol. 2019 Apr 17;41(2) Authors: Fuentes-Antrás J, Ramírez-Torres M, Osorio-Martínez E, Lorente M, Lorenzo-Almorós A, Lorenzo O, Górgolas M Abstract The epidemiology of community-acquired bacterial meningitis (CABM) in adults has changed significantly in the past several years. Despite substantial improvement in patient care, CABM remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Thus, new prognostic factors could help improve patient stratification. We conducted a multicenter retrospective study to determine the clinical pattern of CABM in an urban area of Western Europe and to identify potential predictors of unfavorable prognosis and complicated course. Over a period of 6-8 years, 79 adult CABM cases were treated at three tertiary hospitals. A Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) score of ≤4 was defined as unfavorable outcome. Predictors of unfavorable prognosis or complicated course were identified through logistic-regression analysis. S. pneumoniae was the most frequent pathogen (34%). 82% of patients exhibited at least two of five signs, including fever, neck stiffness, altered mental status, headache and nausea. Almost 50% presented focal neurological deficits; the overall mortality rate was 15%. In the multivariate analysis, risk factors for an unfavorable outcome included a GCS score of ≤13, female sex, and etiolog...
Source: New Microbiologica - Category: Microbiology Tags: New Microbiol Source Type: research