Prognostic indicators in bacterial meningitis: a case-control study

ABSTRACT

This was a case-control study to identify prognostic indicators of bacterial meningitis in a reference hospital in Pernambuco/Brazil. The data were collected from charts of 294 patients with bacterial meningitis between January 2000 and December 2004. Variables were grouped in biological, clinical, laboratory and etiologic agent/treatment. Variables selected in each step were grouped and adjusted for age. Two models were created one containing clinical variables (clinical model) and other containing laboratory variables (laboratory model). In the clinical model the variables associated with death due to bacterial meningitis were dyspnea (p = 0.006), evidence of shock (p = 0.051), evidence of altered mental state (p = 0.000), absence of headache (p = 0.008), absence of vomiting (p = 0.052), and age >40 years old (p = 0.013). In the laboratory model, the variables associated with death due to bacterial meningitis were positive blood cultures (p = 0.073) and thrombocytopenia (p = 0.019). Identification of prognostic indicators soon after admission may allow early specific measures, like admission of patients with higher risk of death to Intensive Care Units.