Meningitis in children: evaluation of 197 patients

Abstract

Aim: The aim of our study was to evaluate the epidemiologic, clinic and laboratory results and the answers to treatment of meningitis cases. Material and Method: In this study, the epidemiologic, clinic and laboratory results of 197 patients hospitalized with central nervous system infection diagnosis in the Department of Pediatric Health and Diseases of the Faculty of Medicine of Dicle University between 1st of January 2003 and 1st of January 2006 have been studied retrospectively. The files have been studied in details for age, sex, complaints, and results of physical examination, laboratory results, radiological results and treatments applied. Results: 118 of the patients were male, 79 were women and the mean age calculated was 62,2 +/- 47,3 months. 137, 27 and 33 patients have been respectively considered as ABM, AM and TM. The most frequent complaints of application to hospital were fever (95,4%), vomiting (82,7%), headache (45,6%) and change of consciousness (21,3%). The presence of many risks about meningitis has been observed. The most frequent risk factors were head trauma history, parenchymal lung tuberculosis, military tuberculosis, presence of V-P shunt, meningocele, varicella history, having mumps, and the presence of purulent ear discharge. BOS has developed in 7 patients and for five patients, reproduction occurred in blood culture. The most important central nervous system sequels or complications were in order of frequency hydrocephalies requiring the installation of V-P shunt, brain edema, epilepsies, subdural effusions, tuberculoma, retention of head pair, and brain apses. The rate of mortality was (% 13.1). Discussion: During the period of execution of the study, the mortality and morbidity of central nervous system diseases were still at high risk. But this may be associated to the absence of vaccination programs for frequent meningitis factors such as pneumococcus and H. influenza were not in routine vaccination program in our country; thus we consider that further studies about this issue after vaccination are required.