Predicting Neurological Complications Following Acute Bacterial Meningitis in Children Versus Adults

Abstract

This study determined the predictors for neurological complications of bacterial meningitis in children versus adult patients. This is a prospective study that enrolled 155 Egyptian patients with suspected acute bacterial meningitis (80 children less than 16 years and 75 adults more than 16 years) , treated for bacterial meningitis in Shebin El-kom Fever Hospital. Nine relevant predictors were chosen to analyze their association with the incidence of neurological complications. P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant .Of 80 children, who were treated for bact-erial meningitis, 8 children developed neurological complications (10%) without children death (0%). The most important predictors for neurological complications in pediatric patients with bacterial meningitis were: age < 1 year (6.3%), seizures on admission (42.9%), CSF leucocytic count > 1000/mm3 (21%). Of 75 adults who were treated for bacterial meningitis, 10 developed neurological complications (13.3%) and seven patients died (9.3%). The most important predictors for neurological complications in adults with bacterial meningitis were seizures on admission (20%), the presence of co-morbidities (22.2%), CSF leucocytic count < 1000/mm3 (14.7%). The seizures on admission, the presence of co-morbidities, CSF leucocytic count < 1000/mm3 proved to be the strongest predictors for neurological complications of bacterial meningitis in adult patients, on the other hand, age < 1 year, seizures at admission ,CSF leucocytic count > 1000/mm3 proved to be the strongest predictors for neurological complica-tions of bacterial meningitis in children and valuable to select patients for more intensive therapy.