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. 2015 Oct 28;10(10):e0141620. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0141620

Table 1. Baseline characteristics in 232 term neonates with bacterial meningitis by prognosis (poor or good outcome*) and predictor for the poor outcome.

Good outcome*(n = 167) Poor outcome*(n = 65) P value Multivariate logistic regression analysis
OR (95% CI) P value
Sex, male(n) 59(35.3%) 29(44.6%) 0.19
Birth weight <2500g(n) 7(4.2%) 3(4.6%) 1.00
Delivery mode, C-Section(n) 59(35.3%) 33(50.8%) 0.03 1.84 (0.67–5.08) 0.24
Age at onset(days) 13.5(7.8) 11.7(7.3) 0.10
Hospital stay(days) 28.0(12.4) 30.3(18.2) 0.07
Clinical symptoms and signs Fever(n) 139(83.2%) 56(86.2%) 0.59
Apnea (n) 4(2.4%) 12(18.5%) <0.001 3.12(0.33–29.72) 0.32
Drowsiness(n) 40(24.0%) 39(60.0%) <0.001 1.35(0.46–4.00) 0.58
Poor feeding(n) 40(24.0%) 47(72.3%) <0.001 3.83(1.22–12.05) 0.02
Vomiting(n) 7(4.2%) 7(10.8%) 0.07
Jaundice(n) 73(43.7%) 18(27.7%) 0.03 0.40(0.13–1.23) 0.11
Seizures (n) 24(14.4%) 13(20.0%) 0.29
Bulging fontanelle(n) 5(3%) 8(12.3%) 0.01 1.81(0.26–12.65) 0.55
Irritability(n) 10(6%) 18(27.7%) <0.001 1.22(0.31–4.77) 0.78
Hepatosplenomegaly(n) 8(4.8%) 4(6.2%) 0.74
Antecedent illness Sepsis(n) 74(44.3%) 21(32.3%) 0.10
Pneumonia(n) 61(36.5%) 41(63.1%) <0.001 3.37(1.15–9.84) 0.03
Impetigo neonatorum(n) 2(1.2%) 3(4.6%) 0.14
Diarrhea(n) 28(16.8%) 2(3.1%) 0.005 0.31(0.04–2.45) 0.27
Blood parameters White blood cell(×109/L) 16.7(6.5) 15.3(6.5) 0.15
Hemoglobin(g/L) 142.0(29.5) 125.3(29.2) <0.001 0.62(0.37–1.04) 0.07
Platelet(×109/L) 298.3(113.2) 274.9(159.0) 0.28
Thrombocytocrit (%) 0.47(0.19) 0.55(0.49) 0.11
Mean platelet volume(fl) 10.5(1.3) 11.5(1.5) <0.001 1.62(0.92–2.84) 0.10
Platelet distribution width(fl) 12.5(2.1) 13.4(2.2) 0.004 1.08(0.63–1.86) 0.77
C-reaction protein >8mg/L(n) 111(66.5) 56(83.6) <0.001 1.45(0.53–3.95) 0.47
Procalcitonin≥0.05ug/L(n) 117(70.1%) 62(95.4%) <0.001 2.37(0.64–8.78) 0.20
CSF parameters WBCs (×106/L)
Mean ± SD 212.8(351.2) 886.0(2700.4) 0.15
<100 96(57.5%) 31(47.7%) 0.39
100∼1000 60(35.9%) 28(43.1%)
>1000 11(6.6%) 6(9.2%)
CSF polykaryocyte (%) 55.6(20.5) 52.2(20.0) 0.09
CSF glucose(mmol/L) 2.3(1.1) 1.9(1.5) <0.001 0.90(0.61–1.33) 0.58
CSF protein(mg/L) 1387.0(781.6) 2549.2(1019.7) <0.001 4.07(2.33–7.11) <0.001

Data are n (%) or mean (SD)

CSF = cerebrospinal fluid; WBC = white blood cell.

*The prognosis outcome was defined by clinical status on hospital discharge or at a postnatal age about 2.5 to 3 months. Using Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS): 1 death, 2 persistent vegetative state, 3 severe disability, 4 moderate disability, 5 good recovery; GOS = 1–4: poor outcome, GOS = 5: good outcome.