Pattern of childhood meningitis in Assiut university hospital: risk factors for adverse outcome

ABSTRACT

The current prospective clinical trial study included 60 cases [39 males and 21 females] of acute meningitis admitted to the pediatric department, Assiut University Hospital during the period from September 2000 to August 2001. Their age ranged from 3 months to 8 years. All cases were subjected to complete history and clinical examination. The following routine laboratory investigations were done on admission chemical, cytological and bacteriological examination of the cerebrospinai fluid [CSF], blood picture, C-reactive protein [CRP], renal function test, serum electrolytes [Na, Ca, K], parameters of coagulation prohle, tuberculin test, stomach wash for tubercle bacilli, chest X-ray, tibrinogen degradation product [FDP], and arterial blood gases. According to the presenting age, the cases were classified into 3 age groups first group [38 cases] aged 3 months to age group [14 patients] aged > 1 year to children] aged > 5 years to 8 years. According to the antibiotic treatment protocol, the patients were randomly classified into two groups 30 cases received crystalline penicillin and cefotaxime while the other 30 cases received chloramphenicol and ampicillin. Out of the 60 studied cases, 37 were treated with dexamethasone as adjunctive therapy for 48 hours. Bacteriological and hematological monitoring parameters were reevaluated for the studied cases till discharge or death. All the survivors were screened for hearing loss by measuring auditory brain stem response [ABR]. The results showed that the incidence of meningitis was higher during winter months. Out of the 60 studied cases, 31.9% had haemophilus influenzae B [Hib], 23.4% had streptococcus pneumoniae [St. pn] and 18.3 % had Nesseria meningitides in the CSF film and culture, while 26.6 % were considered as aseptic meningitis after exclusion of TB. In the youngest age group, Hib was the dominant pathogen. The clinical manifestations of meningitis differed according to the age, but not according to the causative organism. The outcome of cases did not significantly differ according to the type of antibiotic protocol used in the study. Out of the 60 studied cases, 20% died, while 36.1% had complete recovery, and 43.3% recovered with neurological sequelae. The best cure rate was in cases of Hib meningitis [58%], while N. mengititides infection was associated with significantly higher incidence of mortality [72.7%] and cases with St. pn had higher incidence of neurological complications [72%]. Hearing loss was detected in 40% of survivors. The addition of dexamethasone to the treatment protocol was associated with significant reduction in the incidence of hearing loss especially among those infected with Hib. The risk factors for hearing loss and fatal outcome were seizures on admission, impaired level of consiousness, change in muscle tone, raised FDP, low prothrombin concentration and N. meningitides as causative organism