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Table 5 Characteristics of patients with isolated positive RT-PCR results

From: Accuracy of real-time PCR, Gram stain and culture for Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis and Haemophilus influenzae meningitis diagnosis

 

Culture-Gram-PCR resultb

All tests negative

Isolated RT-PCR positive

All tests positive

 

(n=329)

(n=20)

(n=75)

Age in years (median, range)

9 (0–64)

11 (0–63)

15 (0–78)

Altered mental status (%)

66 (22.6)

6 (40.0)

47 (66.2)

Deaths (%)

27 (9.1)

2 (10.5)

10 (14.3)

Median WBC (x106 cells/L, range)c

430 (100–10,000)

10,000 (32–10,000)

8,600 (0–10,000)

>50% PMN cells (%)

186 (56.7)

18 (90.0)

72 (96.0)

Median protein (g/L, range)d

0.50 (0.20-5.00)

2.90 (0.32-5.00)

3.50 (0.28-5.00)

Median glucose (mmol/L, range)

2.9 (1.1-3.9)

1.6 (0.6-3.1)

1.1 (1.1-3.2)

LAT positive (% of total LAT performed)

1 (2.0)

5 (38.5)

25 (80.6)

Positive LAT concordant with RT-PCR (%)e

n/a

5 (100.0)

25 (100.0)

Antibiotic bioassay positive (%)

28 (8.8)

12 (63.2)

41 (55.4)

  1. Patients with isolated positive RT-PCR results are compared with patients with all negative or all positive culture, Gram stain, and RT-PCR test results.a
  2. Abbreviations: WBC, white blood cells; PMN, polymorphonuclear; LAT, latex agglutination test; n/a, not applicable.
  3. aPatients with missing data exclude from calculations.
  4. bPositive or negative for N. meningitidis, S. pneumoniae, or H. influenzae as defined in Methods.
  5. cMaximum value truncated at 10,000 x106 cells/L.
  6. dMaximum value truncated at 5.00 g/L.
  7. eNumber and percentage of positive latex agglutination test results that were consistent with RT-PCR result.