Table 2.
Laboratory tests at presentation
| Total (n = 61) |
NA | 0–90 days (n = 44) |
NA | > 90 days (n = 17) |
NA | p | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blood testing | |||||||
| WBC count, (/μL), median (IQR) a | 10,550 (6900-13,225) | 0 | 9110 (6508-11,568) | 0 | 12,010 (10,578-15,680) | 0 | NC |
| Raised WBC count, n (%) | 10 (16.4) | 0 | 1 (2.3) | 0 | 9 (52.9) | 0 | < 0.01 |
| Low WBC count, n (%) | 16 (26.2) | 0 | 16 (36.4) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.01 |
| CRP (mg/dL), median (IQR) b | 0.81 (0.10–1.40) | 6 | 0.81 (0.30–1.38) | 6 | 0.91 (0.10–2.85) | 0 | 0.60 |
| CRP > 1 mg/dL, n (%) | 24 (43.6) | 16 (42.1) | 8 (47.1) | 0.60 | |||
| CRP > 5 mg/dL, n (%) c | 4 (7.3) | 2 (5.3) | 2 (11.8) | 0.66 | |||
| PLT (thous/μL), median (IQR) a | 305 (250–380) | 0 | 309 (244–392) | 0 | 293 (267–345) | 0 | 0.65 |
| Low PLT count, n (%) | 1 (1.6) | 0 | 1 (2.3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.62 |
| ALT (mg/dL), median (IQR) a | 22 (15–30) | 2 | 25 (19–34) | 2 | 14 (9–17) | 0 | NC |
| Raised ALT levels, n (%) | 7 (11.9) | 2 | 7 (16.7) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.17 |
| Total bilirubin (mg/dL), median (IQR) | 3.56 (1.27–5.83) | 32 | 3.56 (1.27–5.83) | 15 | – | 17 | NC |
| CSF parametersd | |||||||
| CSF cell count (/μL), median (IQR, range) | 39 (4–250, 0–1864) | 11 | 8 (2–185, 0–1864) | 9 | 108 (44–339, 12–1256) | 2 | NC |
| CSF pleocytosis, n (%) | 30 (60.0) | 16 (45.7) | 15 (100) | < 0.01 | |||
| CSF protein (mg/dL), median (IQR) | 45.5 (33–68) | 11 | 58.5 (39–101) | 9 | 24 (15–42.8) | 2 | NC |
| Raised CSF protein, n (%) | 15 (30.0) | 13 (37.1) | 2 (13.3) | 0.18 | |||
| CSF glucose (mg/dL), median (IQR) | 46 (40–51) | 5 | 43.5 (39–46.5) | 4 | 58.5 (48–71) | 1 | NC |
| Low CSF glucose, n (%) | 4 (7.1) | 3 (7.5) | 1 (6.3) | 0.68 | |||
CRP C-reactive Protein, CSF Cerebrospinal fluid, Hb Haemoglobin, NA Number of cases for which data were not available; NC Not comparable; PLT Platelets; WBC White blood cell
a Normal values according to age reported in reference [23]
b Children with concomitant urinary tract infection were excluded from the analysis
c Peak CRP > 5 mg/dL during the course of the disease was present in 8 (18.2%) infants aged 0 to 90 days and 3 (17.6%) aged more than 90 days (11, 18.0% of the total population);
d Traumatic lumbar punctures were excluded from the comparison of CSF cell count and protein levels. Pleocytosis was defined as ≥ 20/μL, 0–30 days of life; ≥ 15/μL, 30–60 days of life; or ≥ 5/μL, > 60 days of life. Raised CSF protein level was > 90 mg/dL, 0–30 days of life; and > 45 mg/dL, > 30 days of life. Low CSF glucose was < 37 mg/dL, 0–30 days of life; and < 40, > 30 days of life [16, 17].