Pelkonen et al reported a score for predicting the outcome of a child with bacterial meningitis. The authors are from Hospital Pediatrico David Bernardino (Luanda), Helsinki University, Universidad Diego Portales (Santiago), Instituto Nacional de Saude (Lisbon) and the Finnish National Institute for Health and Welfare.
Patient selection: child in a developing country with bacterial meningitis, age range 6 to 29 months
Parameters:
(1) electricity at home (living condition)
(2) number of days of illness
(3) convulsions on admission
(4) consciousness
(5) dyspnea
Parameter
Finding
Points
electricity at home
no
2
yes
0
number of days of illness
<= 3
0
4 to 7
1
>= 8
3
convulsions on admission
no
0
focal
1
generalized
2
consciousness
normal
0
altered, reduced
5
coma
10
dyspnea
none
0
mild
0
moderate
1
grave/severe
2
total score =
= SUM(points for all of the parameters)
Interpretation:
• minimum score: 0
• maximum score: 19
• A score >= 7 is associated with a poor outcome (death, deafness or severe neurological sequelae).
• A score >= 8 is associated with death.
Performance:
• The area under the ROC curve is 0.79
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