Table 1 Clinical characteristics of 472 patients with community-acquired pneumococcal meningitis^a

Age – yr

58 ± 15

Indexes of CSF inflammation^c

Male sex – no (%)

221 (47 %)

 Opening pressure (mm H₂O)

42 ± 11

Duration of symptoms <24 h

225/461 (49 %)

 White blood cell count (/mm³)

2417 ± 5648

Pretreatment with antibiotics

58/459 (13 %)

  <1.000/mm³

130/454 (29 %)

Predisposing conditions

322/472 (68 %)

 Protein – g/L

4.7 ± 3.2

Otitis or sinusitis

218/471 (46 %)

 CSF: blood glucose ratio

0.13 ± 0.18

Immunocompromised

124/472 (26 %)

Positive blood cultures

337/420 (80 %)

Symptoms and signs on presentation^b

Complications

Headache

363/427 (85 %)

 Cardiorespiratory failure

170/466 (36 %)

Neck stiffness

356/454 (78 %)

 Focal neurologic deficits

109/455 (24 %)

Epileptic seizures

33/454 (7 %)

 Epileptic seizures

69/460 (15 %)

Systolic blood pressure – mmHg

149 ± 29

Score on Glasgow Outcome Scale

Heart rate – beats/min

100 ± 21

 1 – death

37 (8 %)

Body temperature – °C

38.8 ± 1.3

 2 – vegetative state

1 (0.2 %)

Score on Glasgow Coma Scale^c

11 ± 3

 3 – severe disability

23 (5 %)

<8 indicating coma

63/472/87 %)

 4 – moderate disability

90 (19 %)

Focal neurologic deficits

109/455 (25 %)

 5 – good recovery

321 (68 %)