Table 1.
General and Clinical Characteristics at Time of Clinical Presentation, Diagnosis and Outcomes Data of WNND Patients According to Steroid Treatment
| No Steroid (n = 32) | Steroid Treatment (n = 33) | P Value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demographics | |||
| Age, mean (SD), y | 69.7 (16.8) | 68.1 (16.7) | .71 |
| Sex, male, No. (%) | 24 (75) | 24 (73) | 1 |
| Comorbidities, No. (%) | |||
| Diabetes | 6 (19) | 10 (30) | .42 |
| CKD | 4 (12) | 1 (3) | .33 |
| CHD | 15 (46.9) | 13 (39) | .72 |
| COPD | 3 (9) | 3 (9) | 1 |
| Hypertension | 14 (44) | 20 (61) | .26 |
| Neoplasia | 2 (6) | 5 (15) | .45 |
| Immunocompromised statusa | 1 (3) | 5 (15) | .21 |
| Clinical presentation, No. (%) | |||
| Fever | 31 (97) | 32 (97) | 1 |
| Epilepsy | 3 (9) | 2 (6) | .97 |
| Neck stiffness | 9 (28) | 13 (39) | .48 |
| GCS <9 | 5 (16) | 6 (18) | 1 |
| Headache | 10 (31) | 13 (39) | .67 |
| Nausea | 5 (16) | 9 (27) | .40 |
| Skin lesions | 3 (9) | 3 (9) | 1 |
| CSF examination, No. (%) | |||
| LP | 25 (78.1) | 31 (93.9) | .13 |
| CSF appearance | .06 | ||
| Clear, colourless | 25 (78.1) | 18 (54.5) | |
| Turbid | 5 (15.6) | 14 (42.4) | |
| CSF mean cell/cc count (SD) | 172.7 (380.5) | 202.8 (327.3) | .73 |
| Elevated CSF protein, No. (%) | 23 (71.9) | 27 (81.8) | .51 |
| Positive virological test for WNV infection diagnosis, No. (%) | |||
| CSF WNV PCR | 8 (25) | 10 (30) | .84 |
| CSF WNV IgM | 17 (53) | 17 (51) | 1 |
| CSF WNV IgG | 8 (25) | 10 (30) | 1 |
| Urine WNV PCR | 20 (62) | 20 (61) | 1 |
| Urine panflavivirus PCR | 11 (48) | 10 (67) | 1 |
| Serum WNV IgM | 28 (87) | 26 (79) | 1 |
| Serum WNV IgG | 21 (66) | 21 (64) | .54 |
| Plasma WNV PCR | 14 (44) | 19 (58) | .38 |
| Outcomes | |||
| Intrahospital mortality, No. (%) | 4 (12) | 4 (12) | 1 |
| LOS, mean (SD), d | 10.8 (6.2) | 18.5 (11.4) | .0007 |
| Neurologic sequelae at discharge, No. (%) | 11 (34) | 9 (27) | .75 |
Abbreviations: CHD, chronic heart disease; CKD, chronic kidney disease; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; CSF, cerebrospinal fluid; GCS, Glasgow Coma Scale; IgG, immunoglobulin G; IgM, immunoglobulin M; LOS, length of stay; LP, lumbar puncture; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; WNV, West Nile virus.
a
For “immunocompromised status,” we mean the presence of neutropenia, hematological diseases, any active immunosuppressive therapy, solid organ transplantation, and AIDS-defining conditions.