title: Relation of concentrations of Haemophilus influenzae type b in cerebrospinal fluid to late sequelae of patients with meningitis.
abstract: Forty-four patients with Haemophilus influenzae type b meningitis had follow-up evaluations approximately one year after hospital discharge. Patients with greater than or equal to 10(7) colony-forming units of H. influenzae type b per milliliters CSF had significantly greater frequencies of speech impairment (P less than 0.001), hearing loss (P = 0.04), and moderate or severe neurologic sequelae (P less than 0.01). Patients with greater than or equal to 1 microgram H. influenzae b antigen/ml CSF had a greater incidence of hearing loss (P = 0.03) but not of speech abnormalities (P = 0.06) or other neurologic sequelae (P = 0.64). Glucose concentrations less than 10 mg/dl correlated with the incidence of hearing loss (P = 0.02) and speech impairment (P = 0.02). "Partial" antibiotic therapy, CSF protein concentrations, and number of CSF polymorphonuclear leukocytes did not correlate well with sequelae. These data indicate that pretreatment concentrations of H. influenzae b and glucose concentrations in CSF were the best predictors of late sequelae of patients with H. influenzae b meningitis.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002556:Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003114:Colony-Forming Units Assay; D005947:Glucose / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D006192:Haemophilus Infections / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000209:etiology*; D006315:Hearing Loss, Functional / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008583:Meningitis, Haemophilus / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013064:Speech Disorders / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002556:Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteins; D005947:Glucose