RESUMEN
AIM: The purpose of this prospective study was to document the efficacy of ceftriaxone in the treatment of childhood bacterial meningitis in a general paediatric unit. METHODS: All children presenting with bacterial meningitis to Christchurch Hospital between January 1987 and June 1991 were enrolled in this prospective study and received ceftriaxone 100 mg/kg/d for seven days. Outcome was defined by parameters including mean time to fever defervescence, prolonged fever, days in hospital, seizures, and other acute neurological sequelae, requirement for ventilation, mortality and morbidity. Audiology was performed at six weeks and again at three months if abnormal. Neurodevelopmental assessment was performed at three months. Side effects were recorded. RESULTS: There were 62 evaluable children. The mortality rate was 4.8% (3 children). Two children (3.4%) had clinically detectable neurological sequelae at the three month assessment. The mean duration of stay was 8.7 nights. Five children (8%) required ventilation. Mild self limiting diarrhoea occurred in 29%. CONCLUSIONS: Ceftriaxone is an effective, safe and well tolerated antimicrobial for the treatment of childhood meningitis. It compares favourably with other equipotent antimicrobials. With a relatively long half life once daily administration is possible with a cost advantage.
Asunto(s)
Ceftriaxona/uso terapéutico , Meningitis Bacterianas/tratamiento farmacológico , Amoxicilina/uso terapéutico , Ceftriaxona/efectos adversos , Ceftriaxona/economía , Cefalosporinas/uso terapéutico , Niño , Preescolar , Cloranfenicol/uso terapéutico , Ensayos Clínicos como Asunto , Femenino , Humanos , Lactante , Masculino , Estudios Prospectivos , Resultado del TratamientoRESUMEN
A controlled study of children's drawings as a means of detecting those with chronic disease, in the form of asthma, was carried out. The drawings produced by 48 children with chronic asthma and those of 52 controls were studied blindly and independently by three observers. One observer used a scoring method, the second used direct assessment, based on experience of children with chronic disease. The third observer based the assessment on knowledge and the use of drawings in clinical practice. The observer with a knowledge of drawings per se was clearly superior (p less than 0.001) in detecting those with asthma, while the other two observers' ability was no better than chance.