BACKGROUND/ PURPOSE: To study the clinical features, diagnostic processes, timing of antibiotic administration and outcomes of patients with severe community-acquired septic meningitis at an emergency department (ED), who required intensive care unit (ICU) admission. METHODS: From January 1993 to December 2005, the medical records of patients admitted to the ICU with a diagnosis of community-acquired septic meningitis were reviewed. The clinical characteristics, including causative pathogens, treatment course, and outcomes were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 40 patients were included, with an overall in-hospital mortality rate of 77.5%. The most common pathogen was Klebsiella pneumoniae (n=20, 50%), followed by Streptococcus pneumoniae (n=6, 15%), and Cryptococcus neoformans (n=5, 12.5%). There was a mean duration of 8.9 hours between ED arrival and initiation of antibiotic therapy. Effective antibiotics were administered for a mean period of 23.8 hours after arrival. Time delay from ED arrival to ICU admission was correlated with time delay of effective antibiotics administration, head computed tomography, and cerebrospinal fluid study (r=0.32, 0.47, and 0.53, respectively; p=0.05, 0.006, and 0.001, respectively). Earlier ICU admission was demonstrated in survivors as compared with those who died (11.1 vs. 38.0 hours, p=0.01). CONCLUSION: Severe septic meningitis remains a disease with high mortality and morbidity. Expeditious diagnostic processes with early appropriate antibiotic treatment and ICU admission at the ED are important in improving the quality of care and patient outcome.
BACKGROUND/ PURPOSE: To study the clinical features, diagnostic processes, timing of antibiotic administration and outcomes of patients with severe community-acquired septic meningitis at an emergency department (ED), who required intensive care unit (ICU) admission. METHODS: From January 1993 to December 2005, the medical records of patients admitted to the ICU with a diagnosis of community-acquired septic meningitis were reviewed. The clinical characteristics, including causative pathogens, treatment course, and outcomes were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 40 patients were included, with an overall in-hospital mortality rate of 77.5%. The most common pathogen was Klebsiella pneumoniae (n=20, 50%), followed by Streptococcus pneumoniae (n=6, 15%), and Cryptococcus neoformans (n=5, 12.5%). There was a mean duration of 8.9 hours between ED arrival and initiation of antibiotic therapy. Effective antibiotics were administered for a mean period of 23.8 hours after arrival. Time delay from ED arrival to ICU admission was correlated with time delay of effective antibiotics administration, head computed tomography, and cerebrospinal fluid study (r=0.32, 0.47, and 0.53, respectively; p=0.05, 0.006, and 0.001, respectively). Earlier ICU admission was demonstrated in survivors as compared with those who died (11.1 vs. 38.0 hours, p=0.01). CONCLUSION: Severe septic meningitis remains a disease with high mortality and morbidity. Expeditious diagnostic processes with early appropriate antibiotic treatment and ICU admission at the ED are important in improving the quality of care and patient outcome.
Authors: Sarah E Siegelaar; Maartje Hickmann; Joost B L Hoekstra; Frits Holleman; J Hans DeVries Journal: Crit Care Date: 2011-09-13 Impact factor: 9.097
Authors: Sérgio Luiz Arruda Parente Filho; Livia Maria Barbosa Lima; Gilberto Loiola de Alencar Dantas; Débora de Almeida Silva; Victor de Matos Rolim; Antônio Mendes Ponte de Oliveira Filho; Iamê Tavares Vale E Melo; Geraldo Bezerra da Silva Junior; Elizabeth De Francesco Daher Journal: Rev Bras Ter Intensiva Date: 2018 Apr-Jun