Table 2 Baseline characteristics of patient with bacterial meningitis. Demographics-, clinical-, biochemical-, brain pathological- and causative pathogen data in 274 survivors from bacterial meningitis and 84 patients dying from bacterial meningitis
Survivors | Died | Died from systemic complications | Died from CNS complications | p-value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
n = 274 | n = 84 | n = 33 | n = 36 | ||
Age (years) | 56 (44 to 66) | 69 (57 to 78) | 67 (52 to 76)a | 69 (54 to 77)a | 0.0002 |
Male sex | 145 (53%) | 33 (40%) | 13 (39%) | 15 (42%) | 0.08 |
Admission days | 16 (12 to 28) | 8 (3 to 16.8) | 9 (2 to 16) | 6 (3 to 14.8) | ND |
Clinical findings | |||||
Seizures before or on admission | 28 (10%) | 5 (6%) | 1 (3%) | 2 (6%) | 0.33 |
Glasgow Coma Scale score < 9 (GCS) | 47 (18%) | 30 (37%) | 6 (18%) | 17 (47%)a | < 0.0001 |
Focal neurological deficits on admission | 25 (9%) | 19 (23%) | 6 (18%) | 11 (31%)a | 0.0006 |
Focus of infection (otitis media/sinuitis) | 73 (27%) | 14 (17%) | 2 (6%)a | 7 (19%) | 0.026 |
Focus of infection (pneumonia) | 34 (12%) | 15 (18%) | 4 (12%) | 7 (19%) | 0.49 |
Systolic blood pressure on admission (mmHg) | 138 (122 to 158) | 135 (110 to 161) | 120 (90 to 144)a | 142 (121 to 180) | 0.0023 |
Pulse rate (beats/minute) | 95 (84 to 110) | 106 (90 to 128) | 105 (92 to 130)a | 106 (88 to 120)a | 0.0022 |
Laboratory results | |||||
B-leucocytes (109/L), n = 332 | 17.6 (12.6 to 23.9) | 15 (9.9 to 20) | 14.2 (9.2 to 19.0)a | 15.0 (11.0 to 25.0) | 0.035 |
B-thrombocytes (109/L), n = 307 | 208 (145 to 273) | 149 (73 to 244) | 103 (57 to 203)a | 206 (111 to 311) | < 0.0001 |
B-creatinine (mmol/L), n = 318 | 78 (63 to 100) | 100 (77 to 190) | 162 (76 to 227)a | 91 (68 to 118) | 0.0003 |
Cerebrospinal fluid-leucocytes (106/L), n = 346 | 2653 (660 to 6152) | 947 (165 to 5754) | 600 (164 to 4976) | 1040 (160 to 6229) | 0.052 |
Cerebrospinal fluid-protein (g/L), n = 323 | 3.6 (1.9 to 6.5) | 5.2 (1.4 to 8.7) | 2.6 (0.7 to 7.6) | 5.9 (2.4 to 8.8) | 0.13 |
Brain imaging pathology | |||||
No. of patients with brain imaging pathology | 62 (23%) | 35 (42%) | 9 (27%) | 23 (64%)a | < 0.0001 |
Brain infarction or haemorrhage | 24 (9%) | 21 (24%) | 7 (21%) | 14 (39%)a | < 0.0001 |
Brain hydrocephalus | 5 (2%) | 5 (6%) | 0 (0%) | 5 (14%)a | 0.0002 |
Brain edema | 15 (5.5%) | 7 (8%) | 1 (3%) | 5 (14%) | 0.10 |
Microbiology | |||||
Patients with positive blood culture | 150 (55%) | 54 (64%) | 23 (70%) | 23 (66%) | 0.18 |
Streptococcus pneumoniae | 149 (54%) | 45 (54%) | 9 (27%) | 25 (69%) | 0.11 |
Neisseria meningittidis | 54 (20%) | 5 (6%) | 5 (15%) | 0 (0%)a | 0.0009 |
Staphylococcus aureus | 8 (3%) | 13 (15%) | 8 (24%)a | 5 (14%) | < 0.0001 |
Listeria monocytogenes | 18 (7%) | 8 (10%) | 4 (12%) | 2 (6%) | 0.47 |
Other streptococci | 18 (7%) | 8 (10%) | 6 (18%)a | 1 (3%) | 0.27 |
Other gram negative bacteria | 21 (8%) | 5 (6%) | 1 (3%) | 3 (8%) | 0.63 |