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Table 2 Characteristics of 187 patients with S. pneumoniae meningitis according to age groups

From: Clinical presentation and prognostic factors of Streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis according to the focus of infection

% (No/total) or Median (25/75 percentiles)

Adults (≥ 16 years) (N = 142)

Children (<16 years) (N = 45)

Sex (female/male)

71/71

20/25

Age

61 years (50–71)

12 month (7–18)

Predisposing condition*

13% (19/140)

9% (4/45)

Underlying disease§

23% (32/140)

2% (1/45)**

Clinical features on admission

  

   Fever

97% (119/123)

95% (41/43)

   Headache

57% (47/82)

3% (1/34)**

   Back rigidity

61% (67/110)

46% (19/41)

   Decreased consciousness

96% (131/137)

87% (34/39)

Convulsion

(Debut before/

after admission)

28% (37/130)

6% (8/130)

22% (29/130)

37% (17/45)

24% (11/45)**

13% (6/45)

   Duration of symptoms

2 days (2–4) (83/142)

2 days (2–6) (28/45)

Mechanical ventilation

67% (86/128)

28% (11/40)**

CT-scan preceding lumbar puncture

13% (19/142)

4% (2/45)

Steroid therapy

7% (8/121)

43% (18/42)**

Paraclinical findings CSF WBC (cells/μL)

2475 (122–4659) (109/142)

1690 (775–2622) (40/45)

   CSF protein (g/L)

3.7 (2.1–6.9) (91/142)

1.6 (0.8–2.2)** (32/45)

   CSF glucose (mmol/L)

0.9 (0.3–2.5) (95/142)

1.4 (0.4–3.2) (34/45)

   CSF/blood glucose ratio

0.09 (0.02–0.3) (72/142)

0.2 (0.07–0.6) (21/45)

   Positive CSF culture

93% (131/141)

100% (45/45)

   Blood WBC (109 cells/L)

15.9 (10.1–24.8) (105/142)

20.3 (12.8–29.2) (29/45)

   Positive blood culture

67% (94/141)

67% (30/45)

   Decreased penicillin susceptibility

4% (5/139)

11% (5/45)

Death during hospitalization

27% (38/142)

2% (1/45)**

   1. Neurological causes#

11% (15/142)$

2% (1/45)

   2. Systemic causes¤

6% (9/142)$

0% (0/45)

   3. Other causes&

2% (3/142)

0% (0/45)

   Combination of 1 and 2

8% (11/142)

0% (0/45)

Sequelae

52% (50/96)

17% (7/42)**

   1. Hearing loss

30% (29/96)

12% (5/42)

   2. Neurologic abnormalityˆ

22% (21/96)

2.5% (1/42)

   Combination of 1 and 2

0% (0/96)

2.5% (1/42)

Number of days hospitalised among survivors

15 (11–22)

11 (10–14)**

  1. * Predisposing condition was defined a previous head trauma, liquorrhoea, dura disruption etc.
  2. §Underlying disease was defined as previous splenectomy, presence of immunodeficit, cancer, diabetes mellitus, alcoholism, or the use of immunosuppressive drugs.
  3. # Includes brain herniation, cerebrovascular complications.
  4. ¤ Includes septic shock, multiple-organ dysfunction.
  5. & Includes withdrawal of care due to incurable cancer (1 patient), gastrointestinal bleeding (+/- Bilroth II operation, 2 patients). ˆNeurologic abnormality was defined as presence of aphasia, ataxia and paresis at discharge.
  6. $ 1 patient also had gastrointestinal bleeding/Billroth II operation.
  7. **Significant difference vs. adult cases (Mann Whitney test or Fisher Exact Test, P < 0.05.