Table 1 Baseline characteristics, underlying conditions, associated background infections, and signs and symptoms of patients with BM
Variable | BM patients n = 148 |
|---|---|
Demographics | |
Age (years) | 57.3 (median) |
Men | 72 (48.6%) |
Finnish nationality | 145 (98%) |
Predisposing conditions | |
Sinusitis | 7 (4.7%) |
Otitis | 9 (6.1%) |
Dental infection | 9 (6.1%) |
Neurosurgery-related infection | 74 (50%) |
Brain abscess | 6 (4.1%) |
Urinary tract infection | 3 (2%) |
Recurrent meningitis | 7 (4.7%) |
Smoking | 21 (14.2%) |
Alcohol overuse | 18 (12.2%) |
Sepsis | 42 (28.4%) |
Cancer | 22 (14.9%) |
Diabetes (type I and II) | 17 (11.5%) |
Hypertension | 44 (29.7%) |
Asthma | 7 (4.7%) |
Previous operative treatment | 67 (45.3%) |
Mental disability | 1 (0.7%) |
Respiratory infections | |
Pneumonia | 15 (10.1%) |
Bronchitis | 1 (0.7%) |
Aspergillosis | 1 (0.7%) |
Upper respiratory | 15 (10.1%) |
Tonsillitis | 1 (0.7%) |
Skin infections | |
Head area | 11 (7.4%) |
Other | 11 (7.4%) |
History of acute illness | |
Seizures prior admission to hospital | 8 (5.4%) |
Pre-diagnostic antibiotic | 85 (57.4%) |
Pre-diagnostic corticosteroids | 33 (22.3%) |
Clinical findings at admission to hospital | |
Decreased general condition | 90 (60.8%) |
Decreased consciousness | 62 (41.9%) |
Fever | 123 (83.1%) |
Headache | 83 (56.1%) |
Neck stiffness | 73 (49.3%) |
Triad of fever, headache, and neck stiffness | 39 (26.4%) |
Triad of fever, neck stiffness and altered mental status | 20 (13.5%) |
Vomiting | 36 (24.3%) |
Skin color change | 12 (8.1%) |
Confusion | 58 (39.2%) |
Aphasia or dysphasia | 13 (8.8%) |
Visual deviation | 3 (2%) |
Psychic retardation | 3 (2%) |
Pupil-asymmetry | 3 (2%) |
Babinski sign | 2 (1.4%) |
Nystagmus | 2 (1.4%) |
Eyes-fixed-gaze | 2 (1.4%) |
Hearing loss | 1 (0.7%) |
Dysarthria | 1 (0.7%) |
Vertigo | 1 (0.7%) |
Double vision | 1 (0.7%) |
Strabismus | 1 (0.7%) |
ICD-10 codes* for data search for BM |