Table 7.
Survival for Adults Reported to be Hospitalized for Systemic Anthrax Meningitis by Specified Treatment a
| Survived n (%), N |
Died n (%), N |
OR (95% CI) | P Value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antimicrobialsb | ||||
| Combination therapy vs | 3 (60), 5 | 14 (56), 25 | 1.18 (.17–8.33) | .87 |
| monotherapy | 2 (40), 5 | 11 (44), 25 | Reference | |
| Bactericidal(s) alone vs | 3 (100), 3 | 14 (88), 16 | 0.46 (.05–inf) | 1.00 |
| PSI(s) alone | 0 (0), 3 | 2 (13), 16 | Reference | |
| Bactericidal(s) and PSI(s) vs | 3 (50), 6 | 9 (36), 25 | 1.78 (.30–10.72) | .53 |
| bactericidal(s) alone or PSI(s) alone | 3 (50), 6 | 16 (64), 25 | Reference | |
| Steroidsc | ||||
| Yes | 2 (40), 5 | 4 (10), 40 | 6.00 (.76–47.36) | .09 |
| No | 3 (60), 5 | 36 (90), 40 | Reference | |
| Mannitold | ||||
| Yes | 2 (40), 5 | 1 (3), 37 | 24.00 (1.66–347.85) | .02 |
| No | 3 (60), 5 | 36 (97), 37 | Reference | |
| Intrathecal/intraspinale | ||||
| Yes | 2 (29), 7 | 2 (5), 41 | 7.80 (.89–68.30) | .06 |
| No | 5 (71), 7 | 39 (95), 41 | Reference | |
| Antitoxin/antiserumf | ||||
| Yes | 1 (14), 7 | 8 (14), 57 | 1.02 (.11–9.64) | .99 |
| No | 6 (86), 7 | 49 (86), 57 | Reference |
Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; OR, odds ratio; PSI, protein synthesis inhibitor(s).
Patients were excluded from analysis if they were dead on arrival, died on day 1 of hospitalization, or lacked survival status. Patients described by the authors Meselson and Andrews were excluded because they lacked sign, symptom, and treatment data [2, 13].
Patients are considered to have the specified antimicrobial treatment if given in the first 2 days of hospitalization. Patients were excluded if they were given anthrax-appropriate antimicrobial treatment before hospitalization or if they were given antitoxin/antiserum at any time in the course of their treatment. Sulfa drugs and cephalosporins are not considered anthrax-appropriate antimicrobial treatment and therefore did not contribute to the count of antimicrobials in this table. Only included patients who were described in medical literature from 1940 through 2018.
Only included patients in medical literature from 1950 through 2018.
Only included patients in medical literature from 1960 through 2018.
Only included patients in medical literature from 1940 through 2018.
Only included patients in medical literature from 1900 through 2018.