RESUMO
Background: Meningitis is defined as an inflammation of the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that cover completely and bathes the brain and spinal cord. It is a serious disease and may result in permanent complications if not diagnosed and treated early. The initial treatment approach to the patient with suspected acute bacterial meningitis depends on early recognition of the meningitis syndrome, rapid diagnostic evaluation, and emergent antimicrobial and adjunctive therapy
Objectives: To compare the short course antimicrobial treatment of acute bacterial meningitis versus long course; wheather the organism identified or not in Abbassia Fever Hospital
Methodology: Prospective study; in Abbassia Fever Hospital from June 2013 till December 2014
Results: N. meninigitidis were only three cases [three from 84cases]; mean 14.33 and SD +/- 6.03. All these cases received R, V as line of treatment while other organisms as enterococci most of them received the same line [i. e. R, V] 45.8% and only two cases [2.8%] received R, U, and E. The patients whom fully recovered most of them used the treatment plan R, V [38, 63.3%] followed by R, V, E [9, 15%] and to a lesser extent R, U [7, 11.7%]. There was statistical highly significance between the treatment plan chose and the outcomes of the patients and the p value was 0.010. R, V is the most common treatment plan used [44 cases] followed by R, V, E [17 cases] and the least common plan used was R, U, E [2 cases]. The absence of hydrocephalus or shunt operation was the most prevalent [81 cases] where the mean was 11.63 and SD +/- 3.93
Conclusions: The most commonly used treatment plan was ceftriaxone and vancomydn. Only 10 patients received short duration of therapy. Recommendations: Further studies should be conducted on more national level to discuss the importance of short course therapy and which cases can receive it