Clinical decision rules to distinguish between bacterial and aseptic meningitis

Neurodevelopmental Outcomes Following Childhood Viral Meningitis in Canterbury New Zealand

BACKGROUND

Most childhood meningitis is viral in countries with widespread conjugate vaccine use. This study assessed clinical features and neurodevelopmental outcomes in preschool children following enteroviral and parechoviral meningitis.

METHODS

Children 18-42 months of age in Canterbury, New Zealand were included, who had enterovirus (EV) or parechovirus (HPEV) meningitis from 2015 to 2021. Comprehensive neurodevelopmental assessments were completed by a psychologist using the Bayley Scale for Infant Development-3 (BSID-3). Mean composite and scaled scores and proportion below the cutoff were assessed in each domain. Clinical data was analyzed.

RESULTS

There were 79 children 18-42 months old with previous EV or HPEV meningitis. BSID assessments were completed for 33 children (55% male), median age 32 months, from 2019 to 2022 including 23 with EV and 10 HPEV meningitis. At diagnosis, 32 (97%) received intravenous/intramuscular antibiotics, and 6 received a fluid bolus. Parents reported developmental speech concerns in 6 children, and delayed motor milestones in 1 child. There was no reported sensorineural hearing loss. BSID mean composite scores were in the expected range for cognition 102 (confidence interval: 98-106), language 96 (93-100) and motor 102 (98-106) domains. Overall, 12/33 (36%) children had below expected scores in 1 developmental domain, including scores 1-2 SD below the normative mean for cognition (2/33; 6%), receptive language (6/33; 18%), expressive language (5/33; 15%) and gross motor (6/33; 18%). There were no differences between scores in EV and HPEV meningitis.

CONCLUSION

Following viral meningitis, more than a third of preschool children had a mild developmental delay with comprehensive neurodevelopmental assessment, suggesting targeted follow-up should be considered.

Paediatric meningitis in the conjugate vaccine era and a novel clinical decision model to predict bacterial aetiology

OBJECTIVES

The aims of this study were to assess aetiology and clinical characteristics in childhood meningitis, and develop clinical decision rules to distinguish bacterial meningitis from other similar clinical syndromes.

METHODS

Children aged <16 years hospitalised with suspected meningitis/encephalitis were included, and prospectively recruited at 31 UK hospitals. Meningitis was defined as identification of bacteria/viruses from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and/or a raised CSF white blood cell count. New clinical decision rules were developed to distinguish bacterial from viral meningitis and those of alternative aetiology.

RESULTS

The cohort included 3002 children (median age 2·4 months); 1101/3002 (36·7%) had meningitis, including 180 bacterial, 423 viral and 280 with no pathogen identified. Enterovirus was the most common pathogen in those aged <6 months and 10-16 years, with Neisseria meningitidis and/or Streptococcus pneumoniae commonest at age 6 months to 9 years. The Bacterial Meningitis Score had a negative predictive value of 95·3%. We developed two clinical decision rules, that could be used either before (sensitivity 82%, specificity 71%) or after lumbar puncture (sensitivity 84%, specificity 93%), to determine risk of bacterial meningitis.

CONCLUSIONS

Bacterial meningitis comprised 6% of children with suspected meningitis/encephalitis. Our clinical decision rules provide potential novel approaches to assist with identifying children with bacterial meningitis.

FUNDING

This study was funded by the Meningitis Research Foundation, Pfizer and the NIHR Programme Grants for Applied Research.

Aseptic meningitis following spinal anaesthesia: An uncommon and challenging diagnosis

Drug-induced aseptic meningitis (DIAM) or chemical meningitis following spinal anaesthesia has rarely been reported. DIAM is caused by meningeal inflammation due to intrathecally administered drugs or secondary to systemic immunological hypersensitivity. We hereby present a case of a young adult with aseptic meningitis following neuraxial anaesthesia possibly provoked by bupivacaine. The initial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) picture revealed neutrophilic pleocytosis and normal glycorrhachia. CSF culture was negative. The patient was put on invasive mechanical ventilation and started on intravenous antibiotics. There was a rapid improvement in clinical condition without any residual neurological deficit within the next few days. Aseptic meningitis following neuraxial anaesthesia can be prevented by strict aseptic protocols and careful inspection of visible impurities while administering the intrathecal drug. Detailed history taking, clinical examination, and focused investigations can distinguish between bacterial and chemical meningitis. Appropriate diagnosis of this entity may guide the treatment regimen, reducing hospital stay and cost.

A Prospective Observational Study of Children with FS-Associated Hospitalization: The Implication and Outcomes of Pathogen Detection in Cerebrospinal Fluid

Background

Febrile seizures (FS) are a common cause of paediatric emergencies, but research on their aetiology and epidemiology are limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of central nervous system (CNS) pathogenic infections in patients with FS-associated hospitalization.

Methods

A prospective observational study was conducted in children under 16 years of age with FS-associated hospitalization. Demographic, clinical and laboratory data were recorded. Multiplex-PCR was performed on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples for nine viruses, nine bacteria and one fungus.

Results

A total of 119 children were enrolled between June 2021 and June 2022. Of these, 83.2% had a final diagnosis of FS (69.7%) or FS plus (13.4%). In addition, epilepsy and encephalitis/meningitis were also found in 16.8% (20/119). Seven pathogens were identified from 9 CSF samples (7.6%), including viruses (EV, EBV, HHV-6) and bacteria (H. influenzae, S. pneumoniae, M. tuberculosis, S. putrefaciens). There were no significant clinical or laboratory differences between children who tested positive or negative for pathogens in the CSF, except for the presentation of herpes pharyngitis. Children with encephalitis/meningitis had longer hospital stays compared with those diagnosed with FS at discharge; abnormal EEG findings were significantly more common in patients with epilepsy.

Conclusion

FS-associated hospitalized children may have viral or bacterial intracranial infections. Pathogen testing of CSF is an important basis for timely antibiotic or antiviral therapy when clinical and laboratory findings make FS indistinguishable from other CNS disorders.

Incidence of Childhood Meningoencephalitis in Children With a Suspected Meningoencephalitis in the Netherlands

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Epidemiology of Pediatric Meningitis in South Korea From 2010 to 2018: A Population-based Retrospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Studies evaluating the epidemiology of pediatric meningitis are limited in our region. This study aimed to describe recent trends in the incidence of pediatric meningitis.

METHODS

We estimated national trends in hospitalization rates for pediatric meningitis (<18 years) by analyzing data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment database between 2010 and 2018. Meningitis cases were identified based on International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes and hospitalization rates were calculated.

RESULTS

In this national population-based study, a total of 119,644 hospitalizations and 58 deaths due to pediatric meningitis were identified. The hospitalization rates of pediatric bacterial meningitis have declined by 50.0%, from 3.4 per 100,000 in 2010 to 1.7 per 100,000 in 2018. The mortality rates for bacterial and viral meningitis were 2.0% and 0.002%, respectively. Despite the decreased annual incidence of bacterial meningitis, its mortality rate did not change significantly during the study period. The only risk factor identified for mortality in bacterial meningitis patients among age group, sex, region of residence, and season was age below 1 year (P < 0.001). As children under 1 year have a high-mortality rate (4.2%), patients in this age group require close monitoring. The reasons behind indistinct seasonal patterns of bacterial meningitis warrant further investigation.

CONCLUSIONS

Childhood bacterial meningitis has shown a significant decline in incidence from 2010 to 2018. In contrast, viral meningitis has not shown a trend over time. Knowledge of these changes may aid clinicians in the decision-making process and management of meningitis patients.

An improved clinical prediction rule for identifying neonatal bacterial meningitis: a multicenter cohort study

BACKGROUND

To refine the bacterial meningitis (BM) score by improving its predictability of neonatal BM.

METHODS

A multicenter, ambispective cohort study was conducted in China, comprising 9 hospitals (retrospective cohort: January 2001 to December 2017; prospective cohort: January 2018 to August 2019). Of 3,504 eligible full-term neonates, 475 neonates with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis were included. Based on the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and logistic regression analyses, the BM score was refined by changing the thresholds of CSF protein level and the CSF absolute neutrophil count (ANC), and removing some variables (the peripheral blood ANC and a history of seizure before or at the time of presentation).

RESULTS

Of 475 neonates, 94 (19.8%) had BM. Based on the refined BM score, neonates with none of the following high-risk predictors were classified as being at very low risk for BM: CSF protein level ≥1,650 mg/L, CSF ANC ≥84×10⁶ cells/L, and positive CSF Gram stain result. The refined score showed 100% sensitivity in identifying BM and much higher specificity compared to that for the BM score (70.9% vs. 19.4%).

CONCLUSIONS

The refined BM score effectively identifies neonatal BM, and further studies are required to confirm our findings in prospective studies.

Systematic review and validation of diagnostic prediction models in patients suspected of meningitis

OBJECTIVES

Diagnostic prediction models have been developed to assess the likelihood of bacterial meningitis (BM) in patients presented with suspected central nervous system (CNS) infection. External validation in patients suspected of meningitis is essential to determine the diagnostic accuracy of these models.

METHODS

We prospectively included patients who underwent a lumbar puncture for suspected CNS infection. After a systematic review of the literature, we applied identified models for BM to our cohort. We calculated sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, area under the curve (AUC) and, if possible, we evaluated the calibration of the models.

RESULTS

From 2012-2015 we included 363 episodes. In 89 (24%) episodes, the patient received a final diagnosis of a CNS infection, of whom 27 had BM. Seventeen prediction models for BM were identified. Sensitivity of these models ranged from 37% to 100%. Specificity of these models ranged from 44% to 99%. The cerebrospinal fluid model of Oostenbrink reached the highest AUC of 0.95 (95% CI 0.91-0.997). Calibration showed over- or underestimation in all models.

CONCLUSION

None of the existing models performed well enough to recommend as routine use in individual patient management. Future research should focus on differences between diagnostic accuracy of the prediction models and physician's therapeutic decisions.

Bacterial meningitis in Sudanese children; critical evaluation of the clinical decision using clinical prediction rules

BACKGROUND

Sudan falls in the meningitis belt where most global cases of bacterial meningitis are reported. Highly accurate decision support tools have been developed by international specialized societies to guide the diagnosis and limit unnecessary hospital admissions and prolonged antibiotic use that have been frequently reported from countries around the world. The goals of this study are to critically evaluate the clinical decision of bacterial meningitis in children in Sudan using clinical prediction rules and to identify the current bacterial aetiology.

METHODS

This cross-sectional hospital-based study was conducted in October to July of 2010 in a major referral pediatric hospital in Khartoum, Sudan. Febrile children age 1 day to 15 years who were provisionally diagnosed as having meningitis on admission were included (n = 503). Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens were obtained from all patients while clinical and demographic data were available for only 404. Conventional laboratory investigations were performed. The clinical decision was evaluated by the International Classification of Diseases-Clinical Modification code 320.9 and the Bacterial Meningitis Score. Ethical clearance and permissions were obtained.

RESULTS

Out of 503 provisionally diagnosed bacterial meningitis patients, the final clinical confirmation was assigned to 55.9%. When codes were applied; 5.7% (23/404) with CSF pleocytosis were re-classified as High Risk for bacterial meningitis and 1.5% (6/404) with confirmed bacterial aetiology as Proven Bacterial Meningitis. Neisseria meningitidis was identified in 0.7% (3/404) and Streptococcus pneumoniae in another 0.7%. Typical laboratory findings (i.e. CSF pleocytosis and/or low glucose and high protein concentrations, Gram positive or Gram negative diplococcic, positive bacterial culture) were seen in 5 (83%). Clinically, patients showed fever, seizures, chills, headache, vomiting, stiff neck and bulging fontanelle. All confirmed cases were less than 5 years old and were admitted in summer. All patients were prescribed with antibiotics; they were all recovered and discharged.

CONCLUSIONS

Bacterial meningitis is over-diagnosed in hospitals in Khartoum therefore clinical prediction rules must be adopted and applied to guide the clinical decision. The sole bacterial aetiology in this selected group of Sudanese children remain N. meningitidis and S. pneumoniae, but with significant decrease in prevalence. Some cases showed atypical clinical and laboratory findings.

New molecular tools for meningitis diagnostics in Ethiopia - a necessary step towards improving antimicrobial prescription

BACKGROUND

Meningitis remains a top cause of premature death and loss of disability-adjusted life years in low-income countries. In resource-limited settings, proper laboratory diagnostics are often scarce and knowledge about national and local epidemiology is limited. Misdiagnosis, incorrect treatment and overuse of antibiotics are potential consequences, especially for viral meningitis.

METHODS

A prospective study was conducted over three months in a teaching hospital in Ethiopia with limited laboratory resources. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from patients with suspected meningitis were analysed using a multiplex PCR-based system (FilmArray, BioFire), in addition to basic routine testing with microscopy and culture. Clinical data, as well as information on treatment and outcome were collected.

RESULTS

Two hundred and eighteen patients were included; 117 (54%) neonates (0-29 days), 63 (29%) paediatrics (1 month-15 years) and 38 (17%) adults (≥16 years). Of 218 CSF samples, 21 (10%) were PCR positive; 4% in neonates, 14% in paediatrics and 18% in adults. Virus was detected in 57% of the PCR positive samples, bacteria in 33% and fungi in 10%. All CSF samples that were PCR positive for a bacterial agent had a white cell count ≥75 cells/mm³ and/or turbid appearance. The majority (90%) of patients received more than one antibiotic for treatment of the meningitis episode. There was no difference in the mean number of different antibiotics received or in the cumulative number of days with antibiotic treatment between patients with a microorganism detected in CSF and those without.

CONCLUSIONS

A rapid molecular diagnostic system was successfully implemented in an Ethiopian setting without previous experience of molecular diagnostics. Viral meningitis was diagnosed for the first time in routine clinical practice in Ethiopia, and viral agents were the most commonly detected microorganisms in CSF. This study illustrates the potential of rapid diagnostic tests for reducing antibiotic usage in suspected meningitis cases. However, the cost of consumables for the molecular diagnostic system used in this study limits its use in low-income countries.

Management of suspected paediatric meningitis: a multicentre prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To quantify delays during management of children with suspected meningitis.

DESIGN

Multicentre prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Three UK tertiary paediatric centres; June 2011-June 2012 PATIENTS: 388 children aged <16 years hospitalised with suspected meningitis or undergoing lumbar puncture (LP) during sepsis evaluation.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Time of prehospital and in-hospital assessments, LP, antibiotic treatment and discharge; types of prehospital medical assessment and microbiological results. Data collected from hospital records and parental interview.

RESULTS

220/388 (57%) children were seen by a medical professional prehospitalisation (143 by a general practitioner). Median times from initial hospital assessment to LP and antibiotic administration were 4.8 hours and 3.1 hours, respectively; 62% of children had their LP after antibiotic treatment. Median time to LP was shorter for children aged <3 months (3.0 hours) than those aged 3-23 months (6.2 hours, P<0.001) or age ≥2 years (20.3 hours, P<0.001). In meningitis of unknown cause, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) PCR was performed for meningococcus in 7%, pneumococcus in 10% and enterovirus in 76%. When no pathogen was identified, hospital stay was longer if LP was performed after antibiotics (median 12.5 days vs 5.0 days, P=0.037).

CONCLUSIONS

Most children had LP after antibiotics were administered, reducing yield from CSF culture, and PCRs were underused despite national recommendations. These deficiencies reduce the ability to exclude bacterial meningitis, increasing unnecessary hospital stay and antibiotic treatment.

Outpatient management of children at low risk for bacterial meningitis

OBJECTIVE

To determine the outcome of children aged 2-14 years with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis and at very low risk for bacterial meningitis managed as outpatients without antibiotics.

METHODS

Multicentre, prospective, observational study conducted at nine Spanish paediatric EDs. Patients were diagnosed with meningitis based on clinical suspicion of meningitis and CSF pleocytosis when evaluated in the ED. Children between 2 and 14 years of age with pleocytosis and very low-risk criteria for bacterial meningitis (well appearing, Bacterial Meningitis Score (BMS)=0, procalcitonin (PCT)<0.5 ng/mL and observation without deterioration for less than 24 hours in the ED) were treated as outpatients without antibiotics pending CSF cultures. The primary composite outcome was a final diagnosis of bacterial meningitis or return to the ED for clinical deterioration.

RESULTS

Of 182 children between 2 and 14 years old diagnosed with meningitis, 56 met the very low-risk criteria and 45 were managed as outpatients. None was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis or returned due to clinical deterioration. Another 31 patients with BMS=1 (due to a peripheral absolute neutrophil count (ANC)>10 000/mm³) and PCT <0.5 ng/mL were managed as outpatients, diagnosed with aseptic meningitis and did well. BMS using PCT had the same sensitivity but greater specificity than classic BMS.

CONCLUSIONS

This set of low-risk criteria appears safe for the outpatient management without antibiotics of children with CSF pleocytosis. Larger studies are needed to evaluate the predictive values of replacing peripheral ANC with PCT in the BMS.

Clinical decision rules for acute bacterial meningitis: current insights

Acute community-acquired bacterial meningitis (BM) requires rapid diagnosis so that suitable treatment can be instituted within 60 minutes of admitting the patient. The cornerstone of diagnostic examination is lumbar puncture, which enables microbiological analysis and determination of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytochemical characteristics. However, microbiological testing is not sufficiently sensitive to rule out this diagnosis. With regard to the analysis of standard CSF cytochemical characteristics (polymorphonuclear count, CSF glucose and protein concentration, and CSF:serum glucose), this is often misleading. Indeed, the relatively imprecise nature of the cutoff values for these BM diagnosis markers can make their interpretation difficult. However, there are two markers that appear to be more efficient than the standard ones: CSF lactate and serum procalcitonin levels. Scores and predictive models are also available; however, they only define a clinical probability, and in addition, their use calls for prior validation on the population in which they are used. In this article, we review current methods of BM diagnosis.

Usefulness of inflammatory biomarkers in discriminating between bacterial and aseptic meningitis in hospitalized children from a population with low vaccination coverage

INTRODUCTION

Neisseria meningitidis and Streptococcus pneumoniae are the most frequent pathogens responsible for meningitis beyond the neonatal period. Aseptic meningitis is a disabling condition, but bacterial meningitis if left untreated is 100% fatal. The aim of the study was to analyze the usefulness of biochemical and hematological parameters in distinguishing between bacterial and non-bacterial meningitis in children with meningitis from a population with low rates of vaccination against S. pneumoniae and N. meningitidis.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This study is a retrospective chart review of children hospitalized with meningitis. In patients with aseptic and bacterial meningitis the following parameters were compared: C-reactive protein, D-dimers, fibrinogen, glucose level, and leukocyte level, and in cerebrospinal fluid, protein, glucose, and leukocyte concentrations were analyzed. Number of points in the Bacterial Meningitis Score (BMS) was calculated. The predictive value of each parameter to distinguish between bacterial and aseptic meningitis was evaluated.

RESULTS

In total, 129 patients were included in the study: 65 diagnosed with bacterial meningitis and 64 with aseptic meningitis. Bacterial and aseptic meningitis were statistically significantly different based on each analyzed parameter (p < 0.000001). Among children with aseptic meningitis 42 (66%) scored 0 points in the BMS, while all the children with bacterial meningitis had at least one point.

CONCLUSIONS

In children with meningitis inflammatory biomarkers differ statistically significantly depending on the etiology - bacterial or aseptic. Serum concentration of C-reactive protein higher than 80 mg/dl is a useful marker of bacterial etiology of meningitis. A high Bacterial Meningitis Score is indicative for bacterial meningitis.

Applying the bacterial meningitis score in children with cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis: a single center's experience

PURPOSE

The widespread introduction of bacterial conjugate vaccines has decreased the risk of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis due to bacterial meningitis (BM) in children. However, most patients with CSF pleocytosis are hospitalized and treated with parenteral antibiotics for several days. The bacterial meningitis score (BMS) is a validated multivariate model derived from a pediatric population in the postconjugate vaccine era and has been evaluated in several studies. In the present study, we examined the usefulness of BMS in South Korean patients.

METHODS

This study included 1,063 patients with CSF pleocytosis aged between 2 months and 18 years. The BMS was calculated for all patients, and the sensitivity and negative predictive value (NPV) of the test were evaluated.

RESULTS

Of 1,063 patients, 1,059 (99.6%) had aseptic meningitis (AM). Only four patients (0.4%) had BM. The majority of patients (98%) had a BMS of ≤1, indicating a diagnosis of AM. The BMS was 0 in 635 patients (60%) and 1 in 405 patients (38%). All four BM patients had a BMS of ≥4.

CONCLUSION

To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the diagnostic strength of the BMS in South Korea. In our study, the BMS showed 100% sensitivity and 100% NPV. Therefore, we believe that the BMS is a good clinical prediction rule to identify children with CSF pleocytosis who are at a risk of BM.

Childhood meningitis in the conjugate vaccine era: a prospective cohort study

Bacterial conjugate vaccines have dramatically changed the epidemiology of childhood meningitis; viral causes are increasingly predominant, but the current UK epidemiology is unknown. This prospective study recruited children under 16 years of age admitted to 3 UK hospitals with suspected meningitis. 70/388 children had meningitis-13 bacterial, 26 viral and 29 with no pathogen identified. Group B Streptococcus was the most common bacterial pathogen. Infants under 3 months of age with bacterial meningitis were more likely to have a reduced Glasgow Coma Score and respiratory distress than those with viral meningitis or other infections. There were no discriminatory clinical features in older children. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) white blood cell count and plasma C-reactive protein at all ages, and CSF protein in infants <3 months of age, distinguished between bacterial meningitis and viral meningitis or other infections. Improved diagnosis of non-bacterial meningitis is urgently needed to reduce antibiotic use and hospital stay.

Aseptic meningitis

This chapter describes the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of patients with both aseptic meningitis and encephalitis. It also addresses the major causes of aseptic meningitis. Although bacterial meningitis is quite rare in an era of widespread conjugate vaccines, diagnosis often depends on the results of bacterial cultures which may take several days. Aseptic meningitis, on the other hand, is typically a benign childhood infection requiring supportive care alone. It also reviews available clinical decision rules that may assist the clinician in distinguishing which children with aseptic meningitis are at very low risk of bacterial meningitis using predictors available at the time of clinical presentation.

Cerebrospinal fluid TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-8 in children with bacterial meningitis

OBJECTIVE

We evaluated the levels of cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and interleukin-8 in bacterial meningitis in children.

METHODS

The study included children up to 14 years of age admitted to a pediatric ward with fever, headache, vomiting, and seizures. The diagnosis of bacterial meningitis was based on clinical features: physical examination, blood and cerebrospinal fluid cytochemical findings, Gram stain, and bacterial culture. The cerebrospinal fluid levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and interleukin-8 were measured in 57 children with bacterial meningitis, 15 with viral meningitis, and 15 controls by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay methods.

RESULTS

The mean concentrations of cerebrospinal fluid, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and interleukin-8 were 1108 ± 183, 652 ± 287, and 442 ± 120 pg/mL, respectively, in children with bacterial meningitis and were significantly increased in those in the viral meningitis group (tumor necrosis factor-α : 711 ± 105, IL-6 : 272 ± 161, IL-8 : 175 ± 62 pg/mL; P < 0.001) or control (390 ± 37, 59 ± 17, 19 ± 13 pg/mL, respectively, P < 0.001). At optimum cutoff level based on the receiver operating characteristic curve, cerebrospinal fluid cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and interleukin-8) showed sensitivity and specificity of 100% for the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis. For differentiation of bacterial from viral meningitis, cerebrospinal fluid level of tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-6, and IL-8 showed sensitivity and specificity of 94.7% and 86.7%, 80.7% and 53.3%, and 89.5% and 86.7%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The increased concentration of cerebrospinal fluid tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and interleukin-8 in children with meningitis suggests a role in the pathogenesis of bacterial meningitis and these levels might prove to be useful in children whose diagnosis is in question.

Role of biomarkers in the management of antibiotic therapy: an expert panel review II: clinical use of biomarkers for initiation or discontinuation of antibiotic therapy

Biomarker-guided initiation of antibiotic therapy has been studied in four conditions: acute pancreatitis, lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI), meningitis, and sepsis in the ICU. In pancreatitis with suspected infected necrosis, initiating antibiotics best relies on fine-needle aspiration and demonstration of infected material. We suggest that PCT be measured to help predict infection; however, available data are insufficient to decide on initiating antibiotics based on PCT levels. In adult patients suspected of community-acquired LRTI, we suggest withholding antibiotic therapy when the serum PCT level is low (<0.25 ng/mL); in patients having nosocomial LRTI, data are insufficient to recommend initiating therapy based on a single PCT level or even repeated measurements. For children with suspected bacterial meningitis, we recommend using a decision rule as an aid to therapeutic decisions, such as the Bacterial Meningitis Score or the Meningitest®; a single PCT level ≥0.5 ng/mL also may be used, but false-negatives may occur. In adults with suspected bacterial meningitis, we suggest integrating serum PCT measurements in a clinical decision rule to help distinguish between viral and bacterial meningitis, using a 0.5 ng/mL threshold. For ICU patients suspected of community-acquired infection, we do not recommend using a threshold serum PCT value to help the decision to initiate antibiotic therapy; data are insufficient to recommend using PCT serum kinetics for the decision to initiate antibiotic therapy in patients suspected of ICU-acquired infection. In children, CRP can probably be used to help discontinue therapy, although the evidence is limited. In adults, antibiotic discontinuation can be based on an algorithm using repeated PCT measurements. In non-immunocompromised out- or in- patients treated for RTI, antibiotics can be discontinued if the PCT level at day 3 is < 0.25 ng/mL or has decreased by >80-90%, whether or not microbiological documentation has been obtained. For ICU patients who have nonbacteremic sepsis from a known site of infection, antibiotics can be stopped if the PCT level at day 3 is < 0.5 ng/mL or has decreased by >80% relative to the highest level recorded, irrespective of the severity of the infectious episode; in bacteremic patients, a minimal duration of therapy of 5 days is recommended.

Risk score for identifying adults with CSF pleocytosis and negative CSF Gram stain at low risk for an urgent treatable cause

BACKGROUND

We aimed to derive and validate a risk score that identifies adults with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis and a negative CSF Gram stain at low risk for an urgent treatable cause.

METHODS

Patients with CSF pleocytosis and a negative CSF Gram stain were stratified into a prospective derivation (n = 193) and a retrospective validation (n = 567) cohort. Clinically related baseline characteristics were grouped into three composite variables, each independently associated with a set of predefined urgent treatable causes. We subsequently derived a risk score classifying patients into low (0 composite variables present) or high (≥ 1 composite variables present) risk for an urgent treatable cause. The sensitivity of the risk score was determined in the validation cohort and in a prospective case series of 214 adults with CSF-culture proven bacterial meningitis, CSF pleocytosis and a negative Gram stain.

FINDINGS

A total of 41 of 193 patients (21%) in the derivation cohort and 71 of 567 (13%) in the validation cohort had an urgent treatable cause. Sensitivity of the dichotomized risk score to detect an urgent treatable cause was 100.0% (95% CI 93.9-100.0%) in the validation cohort and 100.0% (95% CI 97.8-100.0%) in bacterial meningitis patients.

INTERPRETATION

The risk score can be used to identify adults with CSF pleocytosis and a negative CSF Gram stain at low risk for an urgent treatable cause.

Performance of thirteen clinical rules to distinguish bacterial and presumed viral meningitis in Vietnamese children

Background and Purpose

Successful outcomes from bacterial meningitis require rapid antibiotic treatment; however, unnecessary treatment of viral meningitis may lead to increased toxicities and expense. Thus, improved diagnostics are required to maximize treatment and minimize side effects and cost. Thirteen clinical decision rules have been reported to identify bacterial from viral meningitis. However, few rules have been tested and compared in a single study, while several rules are yet to be tested by independent researchers or in pediatric populations. Thus, simultaneous test and comparison of these rules are required to enable clinicians to select an optimal diagnostic rule for bacterial meningitis in settings and populations similar to ours.

Methods

A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at the Infectious Department of Pediatric Hospital Number 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The performance of the clinical rules was evaluated by area under a receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC-AUC) using the method of DeLong and McNemar test for specificity comparison.

Results

Our study included 129 patients, of whom 80 had bacterial meningitis and 49 had presumed viral meningitis. Spanos's rule had the highest AUC at 0.938 but was not significantly greater than other rules. No rule provided 100% sensitivity with a specificity higher than 50%. Based on our calculation of theoretical sensitivity and specificity, we suggest that a perfect rule requires at least four independent variables that posses both sensitivity and specificity higher than 85–90%.

Conclusions

No clinical decision rules provided an acceptable specificity (>50%) with 100% sensitivity when applying our data set in children. More studies in Vietnam and developing countries are required to develop and/or validate clinical rules and more very good biomarkers are required to develop such a perfect rule.

Dilemmas in the diagnosis of acute community-acquired bacterial meningitis

Rapid diagnosis and treatment of acute community-acquired bacterial meningitis reduces mortality and neurological sequelae, but can be delayed by atypical presentation, assessment of lumbar puncture safety, and poor sensitivity of standard diagnostic microbiology. Thus, diagnostic dilemmas are common in patients with suspected acute community-acquired bacterial meningitis. History and physical examination alone are sometimes not sufficient to confirm or exclude the diagnosis. Lumbar puncture is an essential investigation, but can be delayed by brain imaging. Results of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination should be interpreted carefully, because CSF abnormalities vary according to the cause, patient's age and immune status, and previous treatment. Diagnostic prediction models that use a combination of clinical findings, with or without test results, can help to distinguish acute bacterial meningitis from other causes, but these models are not infallible. We review the dilemmas in the diagnosis of acute community-acquired bacterial meningitis, and focus on the roles of clinical assessment and CSF examination.

Application of a prediction rule to discriminate between aseptic and bacterial meningitis in adults

INTRODUCTION

Differentiating between aseptic and bacterial meningitis presents a difficult diagnostic challenge. Accurately ruling out bacterial meningitis may reduce unnecessary hospitalization, patient morbidity, and utilization of resources. This study applies a prediction rule previously developed in the pediatric population to an adult cohort.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective chart review of all patients admitted to an urban community hospital in the United States between 1994 and 2007.

RESULTS

One hundred eleven patients met the inclusion criteria. Twenty-two (20%) had bacterial meningitis and 89 (80%) had aseptic meningitis. The prediction rule generated a negative predictive value of 100% and a sensitivity of 100%, successfully ruling out all patients with aseptic meningitis.

CONCLUSIONS

The prediction rule, previously validated in a pediatric population, was accurate in ruling out bacterial meningitis in an adult cohort. Prospective validation in an adult population is warranted.

Validation of a clinical prediction rule to distinguish Lyme meningitis from aseptic meningitis

OBJECTIVES

The "Rule of 7's," a Lyme meningitis clinical prediction rule, classifies children at low risk for Lyme meningitis when each of the following 3 criteria are met: <7 days of headache, <70% cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) mononuclear cells, and absence of seventh or other cranial nerve palsy. The goal of this study was to test the performance of the Rule of 7's in a multicenter cohort of children with CSF pleocytosis.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective cohort study of children evaluated at 1 of 3 emergency departments located in Lyme disease-endemic areas with CSF pleocytosis and Lyme serology obtained. Lyme meningitis was defined using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria (either positive Lyme serology test result or an erythema migrans [EM] rash). We calculated the performance of the Rule of 7's in our overall study population and in children without physician-documented EM.

RESULTS

We identified 423 children, of whom 117 (28% [95% confidence interval (CI): 24%-32%]) had Lyme meningitis, 306 (72% [95% CI: 68%-76%]) had aseptic meningitis, and 0 (95% CI: 0%-1%) had bacterial meningitis. Of the 130 classified as low risk, 5 had Lyme meningitis (sensitivity, 112 of 117 [96% (95% CI: 90%-99%)]; specificity, 125 of 302 [41% (95% CI: 36%-47%)]). In the 390 children without EM, 3 of the 127 low-risk patients had Lyme meningitis (2% [95% CI: 0%-7%]).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients classified as low risk by using the Rule of 7's were unlikely to have Lyme meningitis and could be managed as outpatients while awaiting results of Lyme serology tests.

Clinical prediction rules for children: a systematic review

CONTEXT

The degree to which clinical prediction rules (CPRs) for children meet published standards is unclear.

OBJECTIVE

To systematically review the quality, performance, and validation of published CPRs for children, compare them with adult CPRs, and suggest pediatric-specific changes to CPR methodology.

METHODS

Medline was searched from 1950 to 2011. Studies were selected if they included the development of a CPR involving children younger than 18 years. Two investigators assessed study quality, rule performance, and rule validation as methodologic standards.

RESULTS

Of 7298 titles and abstracts assessed, 137 eligible studies were identified. They describe the development of 101 CPRs addressing 36 pediatric conditions. Quality standards met in fewer than half of the studies were blind assessment of predictors (47%), reproducibility of predictors (18%), blind assessment of outcomes (42%), adequate follow-up of outcomes (36%), adequate power (43%), adequate reporting of results (49%), and 95% confidence intervals reported (36%). For rule performance, 48% had a sensitivity greater than 0.95, and 43% had a negative likelihood ratio less than 0.1. For rule validation, 76% had no validation, 17% had narrow validation, 8% had broad validation, and none had impact analysis performed. Compared with CPRs for adult health conditions, quality and rule validation seem to be lower.

CONCLUSIONS

Many CPRs have been derived for children, but few have been validated. Relative to adult CPRs, several quality indicators demonstrated weaknesses. Existing performance standards may prove elusive for CPRs that involve children. CPRs for children that are more assistive and less directive and include patients' values and preferences in decision-making may be helpful.

[Sensitivity and specificity of clinical signs in adults]

Clinical diagnosis of acute bacterial meningitis may be delayed, either because off lack of sensitivity of clinical signs, or because of a poor vital prognosis; but over diagnosing is also frequent, leading to useless, expensive, and potentially dangerous hospitalizations. We conducted a comprehensive review of English and French literature from 1997 to 2007 by searching MEDLINE to review the accuracy of clinical examination for the diagnosis of meningitis. Additional references were identified by reviewing reference lists of articles back to 1993. We used the keywords "meningitis", "meningitis and clinical features", "cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis", "headache and fever", "Kernig sign", "Brudzinski sign", and "neck stiffness". We excluded nosocomial meningitis. Sensitivity for clinical signs such as headache, vomiting, or fever was low, generally less than 30%, neck stiffness could reach 45%, but the absence of two signs among fever, headache, neck stiffness, and altered mental status eliminated meningitis with a negative predictive value of 95%. Given the seriousness of bacterial meningitis, clinicians perform lumbar puncture (or brain imaging) too often, especially in high-risk patients. Further prospective clinical research is needed to improve the accuracy of bacterial meningitis clinical diagnosis.

Clinical decision rules for evaluating meningitis in children

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Distinguishing between bacterial and aseptic meningitis in children is sometimes difficult. Guidelines recommend that patients with acute meningitis be systematically hospitalized and treated with antibiotics until the cerebrospinal fluid culture results are available. This strategy ensures rapid treatment for bacterial meningitis, but also involves unnecessary admissions and antibiotics for aseptic meningitis. Some authors have, therefore, proposed different combinations of predictors in clinical decision rules to distinguish as early as possible between bacterial and aseptic meningitis. To be useful, these rules must have near-100% sensitivity for bacterial meningitis, good specificity (to reduce unnecessary antibiotics and admissions), and easy bedside application.

RECENT FINDINGS

The present review examines the performance and level of validation of decision rules proposed after the Haemophilus influenzae vaccination entered widespread use. Most of these rules have been validated incompletely, if at all. Only one rule incorporates the best single validated predictive marker for distinguishing between bacterial and aseptic meningitis in children: serum procalcitonin level.

SUMMARY

Two rules are highly promising, meeting the three major conditions after a retrospective validation process in large samples. These rules can be applied cautiously to patients with the same inclusion and exclusion criteria as those in the derivation sets, while awaiting prospective multicenter validation studies.

Central nervous system infections

Central nervous system infections have long been recognized as among the most devastating of diseases. This article describes the changing pattern and epidemiology of a variety of common central nervous system infections, including meningitis, encephalitis, and brain abscesses, and reviews pathophysiology and the most current approach to clinical diagnosis, treatment, and disposition from the emergency physician perspective.

Cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis in children in the era of bacterial conjugate vaccines: distinguishing the child with bacterial and aseptic meningitis

Although bacterial meningitis remains an important cause of childhood morbidity and mortality, the incidence of bacterial meningitis has greatly decreased with the advent of polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccines in the past 2 decades. Most children with cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis have aseptic rather than bacterial meningitis, raising the possibility that some patients may be managed as outpatients. In this article, we review the changing epidemiology of bacterial meningitis as well as the available clinical decision rules that may assist the clinician in distinguishing aseptic from bacterial meningitis in patients with cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis.

The diagnosis and management of acute bacterial meningitis in resource-poor settings

Acute bacterial meningitis is more common in resource-poor than resource-rich settings. Survival is dependent on rapid diagnosis and early treatment, both of which are difficult to achieve when laboratory support and antibiotics are scarce. Diagnostic algorithms that use basic clinic and laboratory features to distinguish bacterial meningitis from other diseases can be useful. Analysis of the CSF is essential, and simple techniques can enhance the yield of diagnostic microbiology. Penicillin-resistant and chloramphenicol-resistant bacteria are a considerable threat in resource-poor settings that go undetected if CSF and blood can not be cultured. Generic formulations of ceftriaxone are becoming more affordable and available, and are effective against meningitis caused by penicillin-resistant or chloramphenicol-resistant bacteria. However, infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae with reduced susceptibility to ceftriaxone is reported increasingly, and alternatives are either too expensive (eg, vancomycin) or can not be widely recommended (eg, rifampicin, which is the key drug to treat tuberculosis) in resource-poor settings. Additionally, improved access to affordable antibiotics will not overcome the problems of poor access to hospitals and the fatal consequences of delayed treatment. The future rests with the provision of effective conjugate vaccines against S pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Neisseria meningitides to children in the poorest regions of the world.

A decision rule for predicting bacterial meningitis in children with cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis when gram stain is negative or unavailable

OBJECTIVES

Among children with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis, the task of separating aseptic from bacterial meningitis is hampered when the CSF Gram stain result is unavailable, delayed, or negative. In this study, the authors derive and validate a clinical decision rule for use in this setting.

METHODS

This was a review of peripheral blood and CSF test results from 78 children (< 19 years) presenting to Children's Hospital Columbus from 1998 to 2002. For those with a CSF leukocyte count of > 7/microL, a rule was created for separating bacterial from viral meningitis that was based on routine laboratory tests, but excluded Gram stain. The rule was validated in 158 subjects seen at the same site (Columbus, 2002-2004) and in 871 subjects selected from a separate site (Boston, 1993-1999).

RESULTS

One point each (maximum, 6 points) was assigned for leukocytes > 597/microL, neutrophils > 74%, glucose < 38 mg/dL, and protein > 97 mg/dL in CSF and for leukocytes > 17,000/mL and bands to neutrophils > 11% in peripheral blood. Areas under receiver-operator-characteristic curves (AROCs) for the resultant score were 0.98 for the derivation set and 0.90 and 0.97, respectively, for validation sets from Columbus and Boston. Sensitivity and specificity pairs for the Boston data set were 100 and 44%, respectively, at a score of 0 and 97 and 81% at a score of 1. Likelihood ratios (LRs) increased from 0 at a score of 0 to 40 at a score of > or = 4.

CONCLUSIONS

Among children with CSF pleocytosis, a prediction score based on common tests of CSF and peripheral blood and intended for children with unavailable, negative, or delayed CSF Gram stain results has value for diagnosing bacterial meningitis.

'Noisy patients'--can signal detection theory help?

Signal detection theory tests an observer's ability to discriminate between signal and noise. Deciding whether or not a patient's symptoms warrant further investigation or treatment is an example of this task in the clinical setting. Noise can exist within the observer--for example, in the brain of a tired or inexperienced doctor--or can arise from an external source such as the patient. Patients can produce external noise by giving numerous unrelated presenting complaints, providing overly detailed accounts of their symptoms, or simply talking too quickly. The more noise that is present, the harder the signal (such as a new disease or a notable change in an old condition) is to detect. Patients in the neurology clinic seem to be 'noisier' than average, perhaps owing to the long duration of their condition in many cases and the relatively high proportion of patients with medically unexplained symptoms. The ability to interpret such 'noisy' histories often underpins the neurological diagnosis. This Review aims to promote the relevance of signal detection theory to the overworked neurologist on the ward or in the clinic and explores strategies to reduce the noise generated both within the brain of the doctor and by patients.

Test characteristics and interpretation of cerebrospinal fluid gram stain in children

BACKGROUND

Few data exist regarding the test characteristics of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Gram stain among children at risk for bacterial meningitis, especially the rate of false positive Gram stain.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of children seen in the emergency department of Children's Hospital Boston who had CSF obtained between December 1992 and September 2005. Patients who had ventricular shunts, as well as those who received antibiotics before CSF was obtained were excluded. Test characteristics of CSF Gram stain were assessed using CSF culture as the criterion standard. Patients were considered to have bacterial meningitis if there was either: (1) growth of a pathogen, or (2) growth of a possible pathogen noted on the final CSF culture report and the patient was treated with a course of parenteral antibiotics for 7 days or more without other indication.

RESULTS

A total of 17,569 eligible CSF specimens were collected among 16,036 patients during the 13-year study period. The median age of study subjects was 74 days. Seventy CSF specimens (0.4%) had organisms detected on Gram stain. The overall sensitivity of Gram stain to detect bacterial meningitis was 67% [42 of 63; 95% confidence interval (CI): 54-78] with a positive predictive value of 60% (42 of 70; 95% CI: 48-71). Most patients without bacterial meningitis have negative Gram stain [specificity 99.9% (17,478 of 17,506; 95% CI: 99.8-99.9)] with a negative predictive value of 99.9 (17,478 of 17,499; 95% CI: 99.8-99.9).

CONCLUSIONS

CSF Gram stain is appropriately used by physicians in risk stratification for the diagnosis and empiric treatment of bacterial meningitis in children. Although a positive Gram stain result greatly increases the likelihood of bacterial meningitis; the result may be because of contamination or misinterpretation in 40% of cases and should not, by itself, result in a full treatment course for bacterial meningitis.

Sensitivity of the bacterial meningitis score in 889 children with bacterial meningitis

OBJECTIVE

To validate sensitivity of the bacterial meningitis score (BMS) in a large population of children with bacterial meningitis (BM).

STUDY DESIGN

Secondary analysis of prospective data for children presenting with BM to a hospital emergency department between January 2001 and February 2005. The BMS was applied to all children with acute BM using the same inclusion criteria proposed by the authors of the rule. The sensitivity of the rule was calculated.

RESULTS

Of the 900 children aged 29 days to 18 years with acute BM who met all inclusion criteria, 889 had enough data for assigning the BMS. Use of the BMS correctly identified 884 children with BM, for 99.6% sensitivity (95% confidence interval: 98.9% to 99.8%).

CONCLUSIONS

The sensitivity of the BMS to detect disease was very high, but a few cases of BM were missed. Further refinements of the BMS may be warranted to lower the false-negative rate.

Aseptic meningitis

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To highlight some of the recent key epidemiologic and clinical diagnostic dilemmas of aseptic meningitis and to evaluate some tests that may help distinguish aseptic compared with bacterial meningitis.

RECENT FINDINGS

Enteroviruses remain the most common cause of aseptic meningitis. Certain enteroviruses (e.g. coxsackie B5, echovirus 6, 9 and 30) are more likely to cause meningitis outbreaks, while others (coxsackie A9, B3 and B4) are mostly endemic. Nucleic acid tests are more sensitive than cultures in diagnosing enteroviral infections. In centers where the turnaround time for these tests is less than 24 h, there can be substantial cost savings and avoidance of unnecessary treatment of aseptic meningitis with antibiotics. Serum and stool specimens are important adjunct samples for diagnosing enteroviral infections in children. Cerebrospinal fluid protein (> or = 0.5 g/l) and serum procalcitonin (> or = 0.5 ng/ml) appear to be useful laboratory markers for distinguishing between bacterial and aseptic meningitis in children aged 28 days to 16 years, but they have relatively low sensitivity and specificity.

SUMMARY

Enteroviruses are the major causes of aseptic meningitis. The major focus of diagnosis remains ruling out bacterial infection or confirming enteroviral etiology of infection. Properly implemented nucleic acid tests have the potential to reduce cost and unnecessary treatment.

[Distinction between bacterial and aseptic meningitis in children: refinement of a clinical decision rule]

OBJECTIVES

To refine and to re-validate the best current tool (the Nigrovic rule: ''outpatient management may be considered for children without seizure, blood neutrophil count>or=10,000/mm(3), positive cerebrospinal fluid -CSF- Gram-staining, CSF protein>or=80 mg/dl, or CSF neutrophil count>or=1,000/mm(3)'') proposed to distinguish between aseptic meningitis (AM) and bacterial meningitis (BM) in the emergency department.

METHODS

Children hospitalized for BM between 1995 and 2004, or AM between 2000 and 2004 were included, and randomly divided into derivation (111 children, 14 BM) and internal validation (57 children, 7 BM) sets. The Nigrovic rule was refined on the derivation set, introducing new variables (purpura, toxic appearance and high serum procalcitonin), changing variables thresholds (CSF protein) and withdrawing some variables (blood neutrophil count, CSF neutrophil count), according to previous results, with the aim to obtain 100% sensitivity user friendly tool. The refined rule was then applied on the internal validation set, stayed blinded during the derivation process.

RESULTS

The refined rule was: start antibiotics in case of seizure, purpura, toxic appearance, procalcitonin>or=0.5 ng/ml, positive CSF Gram-staining, or CSF protein>or=50 mg/dl. The refined rule had 100% sensitivity on the derivation and the internal validation sets (95% confidence interval 78-100, and 65-100, respectively) with 62 and 51% specificity, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The refined rule (called Meningitest) was a highly sensitive, specific and user friendly tool that could allow to safely avoid>50% a posteriori unuseful antibiotic treatments for patients with AM.