Retrospective evaluation of meningitis patients who applied to Pediatrics Department of Dicle University Faculty of Medicine between 2010-2018

Aim: Acute bacterial meningitis is a frequent infectious disease of childhood with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Causes of meningitis might be viral, bacterial; or to a lesser extent fungal, drug-induced or oncologic. This study aims to identify epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of patients, laboratory results, cellular and biochemical characteristics of CSF, the relation of prognostic and risk factors with mortality; to use and determine the value of imaging methods in necessary cases; and evaluate the response to the medical therapy. Material and Method: This study retrospectively evaluated age, gender, presenting complain, serum and CSF findings, agents reproduced in cultures, antibiotics use, steroid treatment, administered treatments and their duration, clinical and laboratory findings by comparing control group of 61 healthy individuals with the case group which includes 49 patients who were diagnosed with acute bacterial or purulent meningitis and received inpatient treatment in Dicle University Faculty of Medicine in an 8-year span between January 2010 - January 2018. Results: A significant difference was identified between meningitis and control groups in terms of age distribution, gender, sodium, potascium, calcium, CRP, INR, WBC, NLO, MCV, RDW, MPV, lymphocyte count, creatinin, glucose. Of CSF cultures of meningitis patients, there was no reproduction in cultures of 35 cases. Reproduction of agents was as follows: S. Aureus in 2 patients, S. Pneuminiae in 2 patients, S. Hominis in 2 patients and S. Viridans, S. Capitis and E. Faecalis each in 1 patient. There was no reproduction in blood cultures of 24 patients who were diagnosed with meningitis. Only blood cultures with positive results showed S. Epidermidis in 1 patient and S. Pneumoniae in 1 patient. Conclusion: There were significant differences of work-up and treatment between meningitis patients and control group. Further studies with larger patients population are required for the significant differences of diagnostics.