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Table 2 Patient characteristicsa

From: Pneumococcal meningitis: Clinical-pathological correlations (meningene-path)

Characteristic

n/N (%)

Characteristic

n/N (%)

Age (years)

67 (46–77)

Indexes of inflammation in CSFe

 

Female

11/31 (36 %)

 Leukocyte count (cells/mm3)

656 (51–1787)

Predisposing factors

13/27 (48 %)

 Protein level (g/L)

5.1 (2.4–7.2)

 Otitis/sinusitis

7/25 (28 %)

 CSF/blood glucose ratio

0.01 (0.00–0.15)

 Pneumonia

6/24 (25 %)

Antibiotic treatment

 

 Immunocompromised stateb

7/27 (26 %)

 3rd gen cephalosporin + amoxicillin

7/23 (35 %)

Symptoms and signs on admission

 

 3rd gen cephalosporin

8/23 (30 %)

 Duration of symptoms >24 h

12/23 (53 %)

 Amoxicillin or penicillin

4/23 (17 %)

 Headache

9/17 (53 %)

 Other regimens

3/23 (13 %)

 Nausea

8/15 (53 %)

Adjunctive dexamethasone

 

 Temperature ≥38 °C

14/21 (67 %)

 Started before or with first dose antibiotics

11/25 (44 %)

 Neck stiffness

8/22 (36 %)

 10 mg QID 4 days

10/25 (40 %)

 Triad of neck stiffness, fever and altered mental status

8/22 (36 %)

 Started after first dose of antibiotics

5/25 (20 %)

 Seizures

8/23 (35 %)

Complications

 

 Score on Glasgow Coma Scalec

10 (7–11)

 Cardiorespiratory failure

17/26 (74 %)

  Altered mental state (GCS <14)

22/23 (96 %)

 Mechanical ventilation

18/22 (82 %)

  Coma (GCS <8)

8/22 (36 %)

 Seizures

8/19 (30 %)

 Focal neurological deficits

 

 Cerebral infarction

8/18 (44 %)

Blood chemistry testsd

 

 Cerebral haemorrhage

2/18 (11 %)

 Leukocyte count (x109/L)

15 (8–20)

 Cerebral herniation

3

 Thrombocyte count (x109/L)

189 (133–274)

Time to death (days)f

7 (3–30)

 C-reactive protein (mg/L)

303 (204–403)

 Early death (<7 days)

14/27

 Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (mm/h, range)

51 (40–90)

 Range

2–62 days

  1. aData are presented as n/N (%) or median (interquartile range) bDefined as the use of immunosuppressive drugs, a history of cancer or diabetes mellitus. cGlasgow Coma Scale score was known for 23 patients. dLeukocyte count was known for 25 patients, thrombocyte count in 24 patients, serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in 15 patients, Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in 15 patients. eCSF leukocyte count was known in 23 patients, CSF protein concentration in 20 patients, CSF to blood glucose ratio in 23 patients. fTime from admission to death was known for 27 patients