[P2-149] Initial predictors of meningitis in febrile neonates
Purpose: Most pediatricians usually consider a lumbar puncture to the febrile neonates because of the risk of meningitis, but sometimes hesitate to do it because of its invasiveness. We evaluated the initial predictive factors of neonatal meningitis.
Methods: Retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 147 cases who admitted the neonatal intensive care unit due to fever (temperature ≥ 38℃) from 2010 to 2014. Lumbar puncture was performed on every case before administration of antibiotics.
Results: 37 cases (25.2%) were diagnosed as meningitis, who included 7 cases of bacterial meningitis (4.8%). When we compared meningitis group with non-meningitis group (110 patients), moaning was statistically higher in meninigitis group. In a comparison of bacterial meningitis with aseptic meningitis (30 patients), grunting, fever peak on admission day, and C-reactive protein were significanty higher in bacterial meningitis group.
Conclusion: Lumbar puncture should be considered in the febrile neontates because of the high association with meningitis. Clinical features (moaning, grunting or high grade fever ) are more important than laboratory tests for predicting meningitis.
Methods: Retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 147 cases who admitted the neonatal intensive care unit due to fever (temperature ≥ 38℃) from 2010 to 2014. Lumbar puncture was performed on every case before administration of antibiotics.
Results: 37 cases (25.2%) were diagnosed as meningitis, who included 7 cases of bacterial meningitis (4.8%). When we compared meningitis group with non-meningitis group (110 patients), moaning was statistically higher in meninigitis group. In a comparison of bacterial meningitis with aseptic meningitis (30 patients), grunting, fever peak on admission day, and C-reactive protein were significanty higher in bacterial meningitis group.
Conclusion: Lumbar puncture should be considered in the febrile neontates because of the high association with meningitis. Clinical features (moaning, grunting or high grade fever ) are more important than laboratory tests for predicting meningitis.