title: Brain abscesses in children: results of 24 children from a reference center in Central Anatolia, Turkey.
abstract: Childhood brain abscesses are a rare and potentially life-threatening condition requiring urgent diagnosis and treatment. This retrospective study analyzed the clinical and radiologic findings of 24 (7 girl, 17 boys) cases with brain abscess. Mean age was 92.98 ± 68.04 months. The most common presenting symptoms were nausea-vomiting (45.8%) and headache (41.7%). Brain abscess was most commonly located in the frontal region. Diffusion restriction was determined in 78.4% of lesions. The mean apparent diffusion coefficient value in these lesions was 0.511 ± 0.23 × 10(-3) mm(2)/s. Cultures were sterile in 40% of cases. Antimicrobial therapy was given to only 16.7% of cases. Predisposing factors were identified in 91.6% of cases (congenital heart disease in 20.8% and immunosuppression in 20.8%). Mortality level was 12.5%. In conclusion, immunocompromised states, and congenital heart disease have become an important predisposing factor for brain abscesses. Effective and prompt management should ensure better outcome in childhood.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Canpolat
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Infectious diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ozgur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ceylan
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey huseyinper@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Huseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Per
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gonca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Koc
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Erciyes University, Faculty of Medicine, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Abdulfettah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tumturk
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sefer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumandas
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Turkan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Patiroglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Selim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Doganay
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gumus
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ekrem
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Unal
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Pulmonology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kose
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sureyya Burcu
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Gorkem
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Erciyes University, Faculty of Medicine, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kurtsoy
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Infectious diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa Kursat
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Ozturk
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D001922:Brain Abscess / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: brain abscess; child; clinical and radiologic features