Table 1.
Characteristics of 78 cases (47 prospective and 31 retrospective) and 270 controls
| Characteristics | Prospective cases, n(%) | Retrospective cases, n(%) | Controls, n(%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Male sex | 38 (80.8) | 28 (90.3) | 232 (85.9) |
| Age a | 51.3 (12.1) | 55 (12.6)b | 48.7 (10.5) |
| Living in rural area | 37 (78.7) | 23 (74.2) | 208 (77.0) |
| Occupation (farmer/ manual) | 32 (68.1) | 20 (64.5) | 147 (54.4) |
| Education (schooling years) a | 7.8 (3.1)b | 8.9 (3.6) | 9.0 (3.8) |
| Pre-existing medical conditions c | 10 (21.3) | 3 (9.7) | 44 (16.3) |
| Clinical syndrome | |||
| Meningitis | 46 (97.9) | 30 (96.8) | na |
| Sepsis | 1 (2.1) | 1 (3.2) | na |
| Corticosteroid treatment during admissiond | 30 (63.8) | 17 (54.8) | na |
Data are shown as n (%) unless otherwise stated. No significant difference was found between each of the case groups compared to the control group unless otherwise stated. na, not assessed.
Mean(standard deviation).
Significantly different compared to controls (t-test for continuous or chi-square test for binary variable, p < 0.05).
Include one or more of the following conditions: arthritis, diabetes, hepatitis/ cirrhosis, renal disease, hypertension, heart disease, chronic lung disease, seizure, brain injury, paralysis, splenectomy, current steroids treatment, depression, HIV, malignancy, or any other immunosuppressed conditions.
Corticosteroid was not used in the two sepsis patients.