Accidental tetanus: prognosis evaluation in a historical series at a hospital in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.

A total of 868 (84.89%) patients diagnosed with tetanus were studied, out of the 1,024 tetanus patients hospitalized at Couto Maia Hospital (Salvador, Bahia, Brazil), during the period between 1986 and 1997. Of this group (n = 868), 63.5% (n = 551) were discharged, 35.4% (n = 307) died, and 1.1% (n = 10) were transferred. The average age of the deceased patients (38.73 +/- 23.31 years) was significantly greater (p < 0.0001) than the age of those who survived (29.21 +/- 20.05 years). Analyzing the variables of the logistic regression model with statistic significance (p < or = 0.25) for univariate analysis, we observed a greater association of risk for worst prognosis (death) in patients aged > or = 51 years; time of illness < 48 hours; time of incubation < 168 hours; neck rigidity; spasms; opisthotonos; body temperature > or = 37.7 degrees C; heart beat > or = 111 beats/minute; sympathetic hyperactivity and association with pneumonia. Among the group of those who survived, patients with 1 to 5 of those variables (n = 398; 76.8%) were more frequent, while among patients of the group of the deceased, 70.3% (n = 206) presented 6 to 10 of those variables, with a highly significant difference (p < 10(-8)). In conclusion, the indicators described provide early information that may guide the prognosis and medical and nurse care.