Table 3.
Purpuric rash and fever: comparison of the clinical picture of patients with bacterial etiology and of patients with non-bacterial etiology.
| No. cases | All patients |
Bacterial etiology |
Non-bacterial etiology |
P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 69 | 30 (43.5%) | 39 (56.5%) | ||
| Age (months) | 72.38 | 39.87 | 0.77 | |
| Years | 4.6 ± 4.7 | 6.24 ± 5.47 | 3.32 ± 3.67 | |
| Months (mean ± SD) | 53.94 ± 56.24 | 72.38 ± 65.35 | 32.56 ± 34.52 | |
| 0–1 | 22 (31.9%) | 5 (16.7%) | 17 (43.6%) | |
| 1–3 | 14 (20.3%) | 6 (20.0%) | 8 (20.5%) | 0.02 |
| >3 | 33 (47.8%) | 19 (63.3%) | 14 (35.9%) | |
| Male | 69 | 20 (66.7%) | 23 (59.0%) | 0.51 |
| Female | 10 (33.3%) | 16 (41.0%) | ||
| Jewish | 69 | 10 (33.3%) | 24 (61.5%) | 0.02 |
| Bedouin | 20 (66.7%) | 15 (38.5%) | ||
| Season | ||||
| Winter | 24 (34.8%) | 8 (26.7%) | 16 (41.0%) | 0.21 |
| Spring | 18 (26.1%) | 9 (30%) | 9 (23.1%) | 0.52 |
| Summer | 20 (29%) | 10 (33.3%) | 10 (25.6%) | 0.48 |
| fall | 7 (10.1%) | 3 (10%) | 4 (10.3%) | 0.97 |
| Main symptoms | ||||
| Rhinorrhea | 9 (13.0%) | 2 (6.7%) | 7 (17.9%) | 0.17 |
| Cough | 9 (13.0%) | 2 (6.7%) | 7 (17.9%) | 0.17 |
| Vomiting | 27 (39.1%) | 14 (46.7%) | 13 (33.3%) | 0.26 |
| Diarrhea | 10 (14.5%) | 6 (20.0%) | 4 (10.3%) | 0.25 |
| Meningeal signs | 8 (11.6%) | 5a (16.7%) | 3 (7.7%) | 0.25 |
| Joint swelling | 2 (2.9%) | 2 (6.7%0 | 0 (0.0%) | 0.1 |
| Maximal temperature (ºC) at admission | ||||
| 38.0 – 39.0 | 34 (49.3%) | 15 (50%) | 19 (48.7%) | 0.92 |
| >39.0 | 35 (50.7%) | 15 (50%) | 20 (51.3%) | |
| Ill appearance at admission | 34 (49.3%) | 20 (66.7%) | 14 (35.9%) | 0.01 |
| Diagnosiscat discharge | ||||
| Meningococcemia | 15 (21.7%) | 15 (50.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | |
| Fever & purpura (only) | 13 (18.8%) | 0 (0.0%) | 13 (33.3%) | <0.001 |
| Rickettsiosis | 10 (14.5%) | 9 (30.3%) | 1 (2.6%) | 0.001 |
| Septic shock | 7 (10.1%) | 5 (16.7%) | 2 (5.1%) | 0.12 |
| Gastroenteritis | 6 (8.7%) | 2 (6.7%) | 4 (10.3%) | 0.69 |
| Susp. Rickettsiosis | 4 (5.8%) | 1 (3.3%) | 3 (7.7%) | 0.71 |
| Meningitis | 3 (4.3%) | 3 (10.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | 0.04 |
| Tonsillopharyngitis | 3 (4.3%) | 3 (10.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | 0.08 |
| Otitis media | 3 (4.3%) | 0 (0.0%) | 3 (7.7%) | 0.12 |
| LRTI | 2 (2.9%) | 0 (0.0%) | 2 (5.1%) | 0.21 |
| Pneumonia | 2 (2.9%) | 0 (0.0%) | 2 (5.1%) | 0.5 |
| Limping | 2 (2.9%) | 0 (0.0%) | 2 (5.1%) | 0.2 |
| Other | 12 (17.4%) | 4 (13.3%) | 8 (20.5%) | 0.3 |
| Positive lumbar puncture | 3/18 (16.7%) | 3/11 (27.3%)b | 0/7 (0.0%)b | 0.24 |
a
4 patients with neck stiffness, 1 patient with bulging fontanella.
b
Total no. of patients who underwent lumbar puncture.
c
Some patients had more than 1 diagnosis.