title: Retrospective analysis of 620 cases of brain abscess in Chinese patients in a single center over a 62-year period.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite advances in laboratory diagnostics, antibiotic regimens, and neurosurgical techniques, brain abscess (BA) remains a potentially fatal infectious disease. This study analyzed clinical and epidemiological aspects of BA in Chinese patients treated at a single center during a 62-year period.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed 620 BA patients treated at Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, PR China from 1952 to 2014. Because of the initiation of imaging technology use in 1992, and other specific changes, we analyzed data over three study periods: 1952-1972, 1980-1991, and 2002-2014. Information including incidence, sex, age, community distribution, BA size and location, therapeutic method, prognosis and outcome of BA patients was collected and evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our study included 620 BA patients. The percentage mortality significantly decreased from 22.8 % in 1952 to 6.3 % in 2014 (p < 0.001). Although the incidence of BA was higher in males than females, there was no significant change in the male/female incidence ratio over time: 2.5 in 1952-1972, 2.6 in 1980-1991, and 2.2 in 2002-2014. The cryptogenic infection incidence significantly increased over time (p < 0.001). The number of positive bacterial cultures significantly decreased over the three study periods (p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prognosis of patients with BA has gradually improved over the past 62 years in Tianjin, China. This may be because improvements in neurosurgical techniques, cranial imaging, and antimicrobial regimens have facilitated less invasive and more precise neurosurgical procedures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, No. 154, Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, People's Republic of China.|Tianjin Key Laboratory of Injuries, Variations and Regeneration of Nervous System, Tianjin Neurological Institute, 154 Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, No. 154, Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, People's Republic of China.|Tianjin Key Laboratory of Injuries, Variations and Regeneration of Nervous System, Tianjin Neurological Institute, 154 Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xinwang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Baoding No.1 Hospital, Baoding, 071000, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, No. 154, Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, People's Republic of China.|Tianjin Key Laboratory of Injuries, Variations and Regeneration of Nervous System, Tianjin Neurological Institute, 154 Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaokui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, No. 154, Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, People's Republic of China.|Tianjin Key Laboratory of Injuries, Variations and Regeneration of Nervous System, Tianjin Neurological Institute, 154 Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Haining
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, No. 154, Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, People's Republic of China.|Tianjin Key Laboratory of Injuries, Variations and Regeneration of Nervous System, Tianjin Neurological Institute, 154 Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, No. 154, Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, People's Republic of China.|Tianjin Key Laboratory of Injuries, Variations and Regeneration of Nervous System, Tianjin Neurological Institute, 154 Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, No. 154, Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, People's Republic of China.|Tianjin Key Laboratory of Injuries, Variations and Regeneration of Nervous System, Tianjin Neurological Institute, 154 Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Nannan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, No. 154, Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, People's Republic of China.|Tianjin Key Laboratory of Injuries, Variations and Regeneration of Nervous System, Tianjin Neurological Institute, 154 Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shengjie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, No. 154, Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, People's Republic of China.|Tianjin Key Laboratory of Injuries, Variations and Regeneration of Nervous System, Tianjin Neurological Institute, 154 Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shuyuan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, No. 154, Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, People's Republic of China.|Tianjin Key Laboratory of Injuries, Variations and Regeneration of Nervous System, Tianjin Neurological Institute, 154 Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jianning
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, No. 154, Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, People's Republic of China.|Tianjin Key Laboratory of Injuries, Variations and Regeneration of Nervous System, Tianjin Neurological Institute, 154 Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shuyuan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, No. 154, Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, People's Republic of China. yangxinyu@tmu.edu.cn.|Tianjin Key Laboratory of Injuries, Variations and Regeneration of Nervous System, Tianjin Neurological Institute, 154 Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, People's Republic of China. yangxinyu@tmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xinyu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001922:Brain Abscess / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Brain abscess; Chinese patients; Cryptogenic infection; Stereotactic aspiration