title: Prognostic score in acute meningococcemia.
abstract: A prognostic score for children with acute meningococcemia is proposed. We reviewed 176 consecutive patients with acute meningococcemia with ten fatalities admitted to our pediatric ICU in the last 3 yr. The score was obtained from patients in shock, using a stepwise linear discriminant analysis of 18 clinical and laboratory variables on admission. Nine variables showed a significant discriminant power in predicting survival and death: coma, base excess, platelets, glucose, temperature, WBC, sex, purpura, and CSF. The score predicted survival in 100% and death in 91%. The predictive values were significantly better than evaluation by the frequencies of the usual clinical and laboratory variables.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Ntra. Sra. de Aranzazu Children's Hospital, San Sebastian, Spain.
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Emparanza
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aldamiz-Echevarria
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Perez-Yarza
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Larrañaga
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Jiminez
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Labiano
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ozcoidi
mesh_terms: D001773:Blood Cells; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis