Clinical analysis of the difference between full-term and preterm infants with purulent meningitis / 国际检验医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To discuss and compare the clinical characteristics and difference of full-term and preterm neonatal purulent meningitis(NPM),for early diagnosis and reasonable treatment.Methods 72 newborns with NPM were collected.According to the gestational age,33 cases were divided into the full-term group(37-42 weeks) and 39 cases were divided into the preterm group (＜37 weeks).The clinical data,symptoms and signs,the related infection,the lab tests of blood and cerebrospinal fluid and pathogenic examination were analyzed and compared.Results The sex,the day age of hospital admission and onset between the two groups were no difference(P＞0.05).The rate of low-birth weight infant was 6.1％,which was significantly lower than preterm neonates(59.0 ％)(P＜0.05).The mainly clinical manifestations of full-term newborns with NPM were fever(75.8 ％),convulsions (45.5％),poor response(78.8％),and poor eating milk(45.5％).But the mainly clinical manifestations of preterm neonates with NPM were jaundice(30.8 ％),apnea(20.5 ％) and lower muscular tension(61.5 ％).There were 17 cases(51.5 ％) with NPM combined with septicemia in the full-term group,which was more than preterm neonates(20.5 ％)(P＜0.05).According to the results of the lab tests,18 full-term neonates (54.5 ％) with NPM with increased CRP levels were more than preterm neonates (28.2 ％) (P＜0.05).Besides,the preterm NPM neonates showed higher protein levels (2.35 ± 0.78) g/L and lower glucose(1.84 ±0.69) mmol/L in cerebrospinal fluid than these in the full-term group(P＜0.05).However,there was only 2 full-term NPM neonate with a positive cerebrospinal fluid culture,and 15 patients with a positive blood culture(8 full-term neonates and 7 preterm neonates).Conclusion Because of the atypical clinical characteristics and difference between the full-term neonates and the preterm neonates,the clinical symptoms and signs of neonates should be closely monitored.Therefore,it's suggested that the early diagnosis and reasonable treatment be a key plan for the low mortality and disability.