title: Brain abscess: clinical experience and analysis of prognostic factors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Over the past 2 decades, the diagnosis and treatment of brain abscess have been facilitated by a number of technological advancements, which have resulted in a significant improvement of outcome. The aim of this manuscript is to review our experience, to determine the factors related to the outcome, and to improve the therapeutic strategy for this disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 1986 to 2002, 178 consecutive patients with bacterial brain abscess were treated at the National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. We reviewed their clinical presentation, bacteriology, treatment, and outcome retrospectively. Groups were compared by chi2 test, Fisher exact test, or t test as appropriate. Multivariate logistic regression with backward selection was used to select the set of covariates that were independently associated with outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred eleven patients (62%) had favorable outcome, 14 patients (8%) had severe disability, 9 patients (5%) became vegetative, and 44 (25%) died during hospitalization. Patients with better Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) on admission, no underlying disease, positive culture, or surgical treatment were more likely to have a good outcome. Patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, hematologic disease, deep-seated abscess, or medical treatment alone were more likely to have a poor outcome. Multivariate analysis revealed that only GCS, immunodeficiency, and presence of underlying disease related with outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The poor prognostic factors of brain abscess are poor GCS, immunodeficiency, and presence of underlying disease. Aggressive treatment with surgery when indicated and careful management of specimen for culture might improve outcome.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Furen
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Ming-Yuan
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.forename: Lee-Jene
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Teng
authors.forename: Ham-Min
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.forename: Jui-Chang
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Tsai
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001921:Brain / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001922:Brain Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D015984:Causality; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome