Suboptimal management of central nervous system infections in children: a multi-centre retrospective study

BMC Pediatrics

Rachel Kneen¹  Tom Solomon²  Andrew Riordan⁶  Benedict D Michael⁴  Aman Sohal⁵  Christine Kelly³ 

[1] Brain Infections Group, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK;Director, Institute for Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK;Neurological Infectious Disease, Brain Infections Group, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK;Division of Neurological Science, Walton Neuro-Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK;Paediatric Neurology Registrar, Littlewood Neurosciences Unit, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK;Paediatric Infectious Diseases Department of Infectious Diseases, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK

关键词: Lumbar puncture;    Aciclovir;    Central nervous system infection;    Meningitis;    Encephalitis;   

Others  :  1170663
DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2431-12-145

 received in 2012-01-13, accepted in 2012-08-02,  发布年份 2012

【 摘 要 】

Objective

We aimed to audit the regional management of central nervous system (CNS) infection in children.

Methods

The study was undertaken in five district general hospitals and one tertiary paediatric hospital in the Mersey region of the UK. Children admitted to hospital with a suspected CNS infection over a three month period were identified. Children were aged between 4 weeks and 16 years old. Details were recorded from the case notes and electronic records. We measured the appropriateness of management pathways as outlined by national and local guidelines.

Results

Sixty-five children were identified with a median age of 6 months (range 1 month to 15 years). Ten had a CNS infection: 4 aseptic meningitis, 3 purulent meningitis, 3 encephalitis [2 with herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1]. A lumbar puncture (LP) was attempted in 50 (77%) cases but only 43 had cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) available for analysis. Of these 24 (57%) had a complete standard set of tests performed. Fifty eight (89%) received a third generation cephalosporin. Seventeen (26%) also received aciclovir with no obvious indication in 9 (53%). Only 11 (65%) of those receiving aciclovir had CSF herpes virus PCR. Seventeen had cranial imaging and it was the first management step in 14. Treatment lengths of both antibiotics and aciclovir were highly variable: one child with HSV encephalitis was only treated with aciclovir for 7 days.

Conclusions

The clinical management of children with suspected CNS infections across the Mersey region is heterogeneous and often sub-optimal, particularly for the investigation and treatment of viral encephalitis. National guidelines for the management of viral encephalitis are needed.

【 授权许可】

   
2012 Kelly et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

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