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Table 1 The cause and time of death. Categorization of the causes of death into three admission-time categories - early, intermediate and late death. Specific causes of death are shown below the primary categories

From: The cause of death in bacterial meningitis

Cause and time of death among 84 patients

Total n

Early time of death 0 to 2 days from admission

Intermediate time of death 3 to 14 days from admission

Late time of death > 14 days from admission

 

84

18 of 84 (21%)

38 of 84 (45%)

28 of 84 (33%)

1. CNS complications

36 of 84 (43%)

8 of 18 (44%)

19 of 38 (50%)

9 of 28 (32%)

 Brain herniation

8

6

2

0

 Brain infarct

6

0

3

3

 Brain haemorrhage

1

0

0

1

 Intractable seizures

6

0

6

0

 Global brain injury /unresponsive

11

0

6

5

 CNS complications not further specified

4

2

2

0

2. Systemic complications

33 of 84 (39%)

9 of 18 (50%)

13 of 38 (34%)

11 of 28 (39%)

 Circulatory failure /septic shock

14

7

4

3

 Respiratory failure

7

0

2

5

 Other organ failure

6

1

4

1

 Systemic complications not futher specified

6

1

3

2

3. Combined CNS and systemic causes

3 of 84 (4%)

1 of 18 (6%)

0 of 38 (0%)

2 of 28 (7%)

4. Sudden unexpected death

6 of 84 (7%)

0 of 18 (0%)

3 of 38 (8%)

3 of 28 (11%)

5. Withdrawel of care

4 of 84 (5%)

0 of 18 (0%)

2 of 38 (5%)

2 of 28 (7%)

6. Unable to determine cause of death

2 of 84 (2%)

0 of 18 (0%)

1 of 38 (3%)

1 of 28 (4%)