TABLE 1.

Baseline Characteristics of 619 Adults with Community-Acquired Meningitis^a,^b

Clinical Features	< 65 (n = 565)	≥ 65 (n = 54)	P-valuec
Age (years)	35 (18–64)	71 (65–92)	<0.01
Female	293 (51.9)	34 (63.0)	0.12
Race
Caucasian	250 (44.2)	37 (68.5)	<0.01
African American	159 (28.1)	9 (16.7)	0.07
Hispanic	140 (24.8)	6 (11.1)	0.02
Other	16 (2.8)	2 (3.7)	0.72
Uninsured	186/562 (33.1)	4 (7.4)	<0.01
Coexisting medical conditions
Charlson Comorbidity Index score ≥1	135 (23.9)	32 (59.3)	<0.01
Immunosuppressedd	78 (13.8)	5 (9.3)	0.35
HIV/AIDS	65/564 (11.5)	0 (0)	<0.01
History of injection drug use	12/558 (2.2)	0 (0)	0.39
Sinusitis or otitis	30 (5.3)	11 (20.4)	<0.01
History of CNS lesion	12/559 (2.1)	6 (11.1)	<0.01
Presenting symptoms
Headache	518/551 (94.0)	29/48 (60.4)	<0.01
Nausea	385/543 (70.9)	18/50 (36.0)	<0.01
Subjective fever	355/558 (63.6)	31/53 (58.5)	0.71
Stiff neck	250/539 (46.4)	15/48 (31.3)	0.02
Photophobia	214/497 (43.1)	4/44 (9.1)	<0.01
Malaise	204/537 (38.0)	19/50 (38.0)	0.74
Respiratory symptoms	70/545 (12.8)	2/50 (4.0)	0.07
Presenting signs
Nuchal rigidity	165/528 (31.3)	14/46 (30.4)	0.08
Temperature > 38.4°C	164/559 (29.3)	26 (48.1)	0.01
Abnormal neurologic exame	134 (23.7)	38 (70.4)	<0.01
Vesicular or petechial rash	9/556 (1.6)	2/53 (3.8)	0.53

^aHIV = human immunodeficiency virus; AIDS = acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; CNS = central nervous system; GCS = Glasgow Coma Scale

^bData are presented as number (percentage) or median (range).

^cP value comparing the <65 and ≥65 cohorts.

^dInclude patients with HIV, AIDS, organ transplants, steroid use, congenital diseases, and other conditions affecting immune status.

^eDefined as presence of seizure, abnormal mental status (ie. Disorientation or GCS <15), focal motor deficit, cranial nerve abnormality, or aphasia.