Dados do Trabalho

Título

Clinical profiles, organ support, monitoring, and outcomes of ICU patients with meningoencephalitis

Objetivo

The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical profiles, systemic organ dysfunction and support, neuromonitoring, and hospital outcomes of ICU patients with meningoencephalitis.

Métodos

We included all adult ICU patients with either meningitis or encephalitis from 2018 to 2023 in 9 hospitals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Clinical characteristics during admission and 30-day hospital mortality data were retrieved from an electronic ICU quality registry. Descriptive statistics with N(%) and median (interquartile range) were used.

Resultados

We identified 287 patients, 199 with meningitis and 88 with encephalitis. Encephalitis patients had a median age of 59 (38-72) years, 51% were female, 6% were previously frail and 81% had functional independence before admission. SAPS 3 was 45 (36-52), SOFA score was 1 (0-3), vasopressors were required in 4.5%, mechanical ventilation in 3.4%, and renal replacement therapy in 2.3%. Hospital length of stay was 12 (7-24) days and mortality rate was 9.1%. Amongst meningitis patients, age was 45 (34-62) years, 51% were female, 1.5% were frail and 86% independent. SAPS 3 was 40 (34-48), SOFA score was 1 (0-2), vasopressors were required in 7.5%, mechanical ventilation in 8%, and renal replacement therapy in 1%. Hospital LOS was 10 (5-20) days and mortality was 6%. Etiology was identified in only 28 meningitis cases, with Streptococcus pneumoniae as the most prevalent (N=9). Only 7 encephalitis cases identified pathogens with HSV as the most prevalent (N=4).

Conclusão

We showed clinical profiles and outcomes of ICU patients with meningoencephalitis, with infrequent identification of viral or bacterial etiologies.