title: The case-fatality rate of meningococcal disease in Catalonia, 1990-1997.
abstract: The objective was to analyse the case-fatality rate (CFR) of meningococcal disease (MD) in Catalonia, Spain. A retrospective study was carried out. Clinical histories of cases of MD reported for the period 1990-1997 in Catalonia were reviewed. For all cases, the variables gender, age, clinical type, y of presentation, province, phenotype and death by meningococcal disease were collected. The association between death and the other variables was studied by bivariate and unconditional logistic regression analysis. In the 2343 cases studied there were 146 deaths (6.2%) due to meningococcal disease. The CFR was higher in females (OR: 1.5, 95%CI: 1.1-2.1), in the 20 to 49 y (OR: 2.4, 95%CI: 1.2-4.9) and > or = 50 y (OR: 5.3, 95%CI: 2.8-10.1) age groups, in cases with septicaemia (OR: 2.4, 95%CI: 1.6-3.5), in the cases produced by serogroup A (OR: 4.7, 95%CI: 1.0-23.4) and in cases occurring during 1993 (OR: 2.1, 95%CI: 1.1-4.1) or in the province of Lleida (OR: 2.9, 95%CI: 1.2-7.2). In the multivariate analysis, death was associated with the 20-49 y age group (OR: 3.9, 95%CI: 1.8-8.4), the > or = 50 y age group (OR: 7.3, 95%CI: 3.6-14.7), septicaemia (OR: 3.1; 95%CI: 2.0-4.7) and residing in the province of Lleida (OR: 3.2; 95%CI: 1.2-8.5). The CFR of meningococcal disease in Catalonia was not associated with the emergent phenotype C:2b:P1.2,5 strain, which caused an outbreak in other regions of Spain.
authors.affiliation: General Directorate of Public Health, Generalitat of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain. angela.dominguez@gencat.net
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Domínguez
authors.forename: Neus
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cardeñosa
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pañella
authors.forename: Angels
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Orcau
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Companys
authors.forename: Miquel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alseda
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oviedo
authors.forename: Glòria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carmona
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Minguell
authors.forename: Lluis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Salleras
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D016019:Survival Analysis