study on the application rate of CSF test [cerebro spinal fluid] in diagnosing accute bacterial meningitis in infants and children under 5 years old in Tajrish shohada and Tehran mofid hospitals during 2005

ABSTRACT

Studying CSF [cerebro spinal fluid] is a simple and fast measure for diagnosing meningitis in children. For this reason, LP [umbar puncture] is used to treat csf. Regarding the side effects of LP, we decided to determine the positive points observed in the patients' files than total patients confined to bed in our selected population. In this study conducted by descriptive retrospective method, the records of 1705 infants and children suspected to meningitis, confined in Tajrish Shohada and Tehran Mofid Hospitals for LP test, were investigated. Data collected from these cases were statistically analyzed. Studies indicated that in 93.7% of infants and children tested by LP as well as csf tested, the results were negative, therefore due to the fact that LP is considered as a risky method for children, performing a test doesn't seem necessary in most cases. Results of this study also indicated that maximum rate of infection was among males and occurred in autumn.