Frequency of Meningitis in Patients Presenting with Neonatal Sepsis at a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Study
Suneet Kumar
NICU, Lady Dufferin Hospital Karachi, Pakistan.
Yousuf Yahya
FCPS, Dow University of Health Sciences Karachi, Pakistan.
Muhammad Saad Raza
FCPS, United Medical and Dental College Karachi, Pakistan.
Kashif Habib Qadri
Civil Hospital Thatta, Pakistan.
Rumana Sangi
FCPS, (FCPS Pediatric Cardiology), Post Fellow NICVD Karachi, Pakistan.
Amber Kamran
FCPS, Dow University of Health Sciences Karachi, Pakistan.
Muhammad Nadeem Chohan *
FCPS, Bilawal Medical College Jamshoro, Pakistan.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aim: To investigate the prevalence of meningitis in neonatal sepsis patients at a tertiary care hospital.
Study Design: A cross-sectional study.
Place and Duration: Department of pediatrics, Civil Hospital Karachi from 11 – 2019 to 04 – 2020.
Methodology: A total of 120 Neonates within first 28 days of life with positive blood culture were included in this study. Patient’s data was collected on a predesigned proforma including demographics. Diagnosis of meningitis was done by performing lumber puncture. CSF analysis, blood, and CSF cultures were all tested in the lab.
Results: The average age of the patients was 10.75±7.24 days. There were 66(55%) males and 54(45%) females. Meningitis was found in 23.33% of patients with neonatal sepsis (28/120). Rate of meningitis was significantly high in late onset of sepsis as compared to early onset of sepsis (32.8% vs. 11.3%; p=0.006).
Conclusion: In this study the frequency of meningitis with neonatal sepsis was high. Meningitis has a strong link to neonatal sepsis, and it must be ruled out in those babies to avoid neurological problems.
Keywords: Neonatal sepsis, Meningitis, late onset of sepsis, early onset of sepsis