Cerebrospinal fluid results and semeiology differentiation of febrile children with convulsions / 中华实用儿科临床杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and other auxiliary examination results of febrile children with convulsions in order to provide the evidence for clinical recognition of central nervous system (CNS) infection and its etiology.Methods:The clinical data of 64 fever patients with convulsions admitted at the Department of Neurology, Shanghai Children′s Medical Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine were analyzed retrospectively.According to the results of the routine biochemical examination of CSF, they were divided into 2 groups as CSF normal group (44/64 cases, 69%) and CSF abnormal group (20/64 cases, 31%). Their age, gender, clinical manifestations, physical symptoms and auxiliary examination results were compared between the two groups. Logistic regression analysis was performed to explore the independent risk factors of abnormal CSF results.Twenty children with abnormal CSF results were divided into the normal glucose group (12/20 cases, 60%) and the glucose reduction group (8/20 cases, 40%) according to the glucose level of CSF.The fever duration, serum inflammation markers, CSF routine and biochemical indexes of the two groups were compared. Results:According to Logistic multivariate unconditional regression analysis, the mental state change ( OR=435.99, P=0.010), abnormal neurological signs ( OR=65.25, P=0.023) and vomiting ( OR=20.56, P=0.048) were the high risk factors of abnormal CSF results.Among the children with abnormal CSF results, in the glucose reduction and normal glucose groups, the fever duration was 12.50 (7.75-16.75) d and 4.00 (3.00-5.75) d, respectively; the level of CSF protein were 3 000 (1 745-3 000) mg/L and 648 (469-1 734) mg/L, respectively; the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was 71.50(56.00-97.50) mm/1 h and 20.50 (12.00-26.00) mm/1 h, respectively; the procalcitonin level was 2.76(0.90-20.72) g/L and 0.23 (0.03-1.00) g/L, respectively; the C-reactive protein (CRP) level was 123.00 (33.00-177.75) mg/L and 12.50(4.25-57.75) mg/L, respectively.The fever duration, CSF protein level, ESR, procalcitonin level and CRP level were statistically different between the glucose reduction and normal glucose groups (all P<0.05). Conclusions:In fever children with convulsions, vomiting, the mental state change, and abnormal neurological signs are the high risk factors of abnormal CSF results, suggesting the possibility of CNS infections and the need of early diagnosis by CSF and other auxiliary examinations.In addition, a low level of CSF glucose in children with abnormal CSF results may be a potential and powerful clue for purulent meningitis.Timely etiological tests are required for confirmation, and antibiotics treatments should be applied as early as possible.