Enteroviral testing and length of hospital stay for children evaluated for lyme meningitis.

BACKGROUND: In Lyme disease-endemic areas, many children with aseptic meningitis are hospitalized while awaiting Lyme serology results. Although Lyme serology takes several days, an enteroviral polymerase chain reaction (EV PCR) test takes only a few hours to return results. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to measure the impact of EV PCR testing on duration of stay for children evaluated for Lyme meningitis. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed with children evaluated for Lyme meningitis at 3 Emergency Departments located in Lyme disease-endemic areas. We defined Lyme meningitis using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria (either positive Lyme serology test result or an erythema migrans rash). The duration of stay was compared by EV PCR test result (positive, negative, and not obtained). RESULTS: There were 423 study patients identified, 117 (28%) of whom had Lyme meningitis and 209 (49%) had an EV PCR test performed. Median length of stay varied by the EV PCR test status: children with a positive EV PCR test (n = 103; 28 h; interquartile range 17-48 h), those with a negative EV PCR test (n = 106; 72 h; interquartile range 48-120 h), and those who did not have an EV PCR test obtained (n = 214; 48 h; interquartile range 24-96 h; p ≤ 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Rapid EV PCR testing could assist clinical decision making by Emergency Physicians, avoiding potentially unnecessary hospitalization and parenteral antibiotics for children at low risk of Lyme meningitis.

Treatment complications in children with lyme meningitis.

BACKGROUND: The rate and type of treatment complications in children treated for Lyme meningitis have not been described. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of children with Lyme meningitis who presented to 1 of 3 emergency departments located in Lyme disease endemic areas between 1997 and 2010. We defined a case of Lyme meningitis as a child with cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis and either positive Lyme serology or an erythema migrans rash. We identified prescribed treatment and reasons for all return visits. Our primary outcome was the presence of any treatment complication within 30 days of diagnosis. RESULTS: We identified 157 patients with Lyme meningitis with a median age of 10 years (interquartile range: 7-13 years). Of the 149 children with Lyme meningitis and available follow-up records, 39 (26%) had 1 or more complications, and 21 (14%) required a change in prescribed antibiotic therapy. The median time for developing the first complication was 11 days (interquartile range: 9-14 days). Ten percent of the patients had an adverse drug reaction. Of the 144 children who had a peripherally inserted central catheter placed, 25 (17%) had at least 1 peripherally inserted central catheter-associated complication: 14 (10%) had a mechanical problem, 11 (8%) had an infectious complication and 1 (1%) had a venous thromboembolism. CONCLUSIONS: As current Lyme meningitis treatment regimens have substantial associated morbidity, future research should investigate the efficacy of alternate regimens.

Electrocardiograph Abnormalities in Children With Lyme Meningitis.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to estimate the prevalence of and identify risk factors for electrocardiographic (ECG) changes in children presenting with Lyme meningitis. DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional study. SETTING: The study was set in three large urban pediatric tertiary care centers. PARTICIPANTS: Children who were diagnosed with Lyme meningitis and underwent ECG testing were included. OUTCOME MEASURE: The presence of an ECG abnormality associated with early-disseminated Lyme infection was the outcome measure. RESULTS: Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors independently associated with ECG abnormalities. ECG testing was performed in 103 (66%) of 157 children with Lyme meningitis. The median age of these children was 10.8 years; 68% were male. ECG abnormalities, identified in 34 (33%) subjects, included one or more of the following: atrioventricular block (n = 16; 16%), ST-T wave changes (n = 14; 14%), and prolongation of the corrected QT interval (n = 11; 11%). In multivariate analysis, age ≥13 years and fever for ≥5 days were independently associated with ECG abnormalities. The probability of ECG abnormalities was greater than 50% in those with fever for ≥5 days or age ≥13 years, and if a subject fulfilled both criteria, the probability of ECG abnormalities was 83% (95% confidence interval: 50%-96%). CONCLUSIONS: Electrocardiographic abnormalities occur commonly in children with Lyme meningitis. While older children with prolonged fever were most likely to have such abnormalities, the clinical consequences of asymptomatic ECG abnormalities in children with Lyme meningitis are not known.

Validation of a clinical prediction rule to distinguish Lyme meningitis from aseptic meningitis.

OBJECTIVES: The "Rule of 7's," a Lyme meningitis clinical prediction rule, classifies children at low risk for Lyme meningitis when each of the following 3 criteria are met: <7 days of headache, <70% cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) mononuclear cells, and absence of seventh or other cranial nerve palsy. The goal of this study was to test the performance of the Rule of 7's in a multicenter cohort of children with CSF pleocytosis. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of children evaluated at 1 of 3 emergency departments located in Lyme disease-endemic areas with CSF pleocytosis and Lyme serology obtained. Lyme meningitis was defined using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria (either positive Lyme serology test result or an erythema migrans [EM] rash). We calculated the performance of the Rule of 7's in our overall study population and in children without physician-documented EM. RESULTS: We identified 423 children, of whom 117 (28% [95% confidence interval (CI): 24%-32%]) had Lyme meningitis, 306 (72% [95% CI: 68%-76%]) had aseptic meningitis, and 0 (95% CI: 0%-1%) had bacterial meningitis. Of the 130 classified as low risk, 5 had Lyme meningitis (sensitivity, 112 of 117 [96% (95% CI: 90%-99%)]; specificity, 125 of 302 [41% (95% CI: 36%-47%)]). In the 390 children without EM, 3 of the 127 low-risk patients had Lyme meningitis (2% [95% CI: 0%-7%]). CONCLUSIONS: Patients classified as low risk by using the Rule of 7's were unlikely to have Lyme meningitis and could be managed as outpatients while awaiting results of Lyme serology tests.