Acute bacterial meningitis in a developing country: diagnosis related mortality among paediatric patients
Imananagha, K.K.; Peters, E.J.; Philip-Ephraim, E.E.; Ekott, J.U.; Imananagha, L.N.; Ekure, E.N.; Esin, R.A.
Central African Journal of Medicine 44(1): 11-15
1998
ISSN/ISBN: 0008-9176 PMID: 9631108 Document Number: 487138
Objectives: To evaluate the effect of late diagnosis and other factors on outcome of paediatric bacterial meningitis (BM) and recommend appropriate intervention. Design: Case series. Setting: University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria. Subjects: 62 consecutive BM patients aged two months to 16 years admitted between 1991 and 1994. Main Outcome Measures: Mortality rate. Results: Diagnostic difficulties experienced in 58% of cases and other factors resulted in delayed diagnosis and high mortality (20 to 47%). Conclusion: Only elimination of the identified inadequacies in management can significantly reduce the BM-related high mortality in developing countries.