Table 1 Characteristics of 48 patients with community-acquiredbacterial meningitis and coexisting arthritis*
From: Arthritis in adults with community-acquired bacterial meningitis: a prospective cohort study
Characteristics | Patients (n = 48) |
|---|---|
Sex, no. male/no. female | 21/27 |
Age, median years (range) | 49 (17–90) |
Predisposing factors for bacterial arthritis | Â |
   Immunodeficiency†| 6 (13) |
   Preexisting joint pathology‡ | 3 (6) |
   Age ≥ 80 years | 4 (8) |
Blood culture positive | 29/46 (63) |
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate – mm/hour, median (range) | 45 (5 – 289) |
Blood leukocyte count – 109/L, median (range) | 18 (4 – 40) |
Results of cerebrospinal fluid culture | Â |
   Neisseria meningitidis | 32 (67) |
   Streptococcus pneumoniae | 11 (23) |
   Other bacteria§ | 5 (10) |
Positive synovial fluid culture | 6/23 (26) |
Arthritis present ≤ 4 days after admission | 29 (60) |
   Arthritis present on presentation | 15 (31) |
Time between admission and arthritis, median days (range) | 5 (-2 – 12) |
Monoarticular arthritis | 29 (60) |
   Knee | 14/29 (48) |
   Wrist | 5/29 (17) |
   Ankle | 4/29 (14) |
   Other¶ | 6/29 (21) |
Polyarticular arthritis | 19 (40) |
   Knee | 15/19 (79) |
Residual joint symptoms in surviving patients$ | 10/44 (23) |