Journal of tropical pediatrics
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Pneumococcal meningitis in Taiwanese children: emphasis on clinical outcomes and prognostic factors.
Pneumococcal meningitis causes high morbidity or mortality in childhood despite the progress in medicine. Children with pneumococcal meningitis were identified and retrospectively reviewed. Forty-nine children were eligible, with mortality in 24.5% of all and neurological sequelae in 40.5% of survivors. ⋯ Besides, CSF protein (p = 0.006) was higher in survivors with neurological sequelae. Initial dexamethasone usage and disease severity did not affect the occurrence of neurological sequelae. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that CSF leukocyte count
or=330 g l(-1) (p = 0.022) were significantly risk factors associated with poor outcomes, and physicians should be cautious if such conditions occur.