Pneumococcal meningitis. Late neurologic sequelae and features of prognostic impact.

ABSTRACT

We interviewed and neurologically reexamined 94 patients who had previous pneumococcal meningitis. The findings were allocated into groups with and without a causal relationship to the meningitis. The main sequelae after meningitis were dizziness (23%), tiredness (22%), mild memory deficits (21%), and gait ataxia (18%), whereas other focal neurologic signs were rare. By a rating (0 to 5) of the presence and severity of sequelae after meningitis, 54% of the patients were found to have sequelae. The clinical condition at the time of acute illness was studied in subgroups of patients who had different neurologic sequelae or high sequelae ratings. Gait ataxia was associated with a state of agitation and confusion when the patient was admitted for meningitis. High sequelae ratings on reexamination were associated with an affected consciousness at the acute stage of the disease and with high numbers of WBCs in the CSF at the time of hospitalization.