Dexamethasone treatment in childhood bacterial meningitis in Malawi: a randomised controlled trial

Steroids are used as adjuvant treatment in childhood pyogenic meningitis to attenuate host inflammatory responses to bacterial invasion. Assesses the effectiveness of dexamethasone in management of acute bacterial meningitis in a developing country. Describes a double-blind, place controlled trial o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Lancet (British edition) 2002-07, Vol.20, p.211-218
Main Authors: Molyneux, E M, Walsh, A L, syth, H, Tembo, M, Mwenechanya, J, Kayira, K, Bwanaisa, L, Njobvu, A, Rogerson, S, Malenga, G
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adjuvant therapy
Children
Malawi
Meningitis
Randomized controlled trials
Steroids
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Summary:Steroids are used as adjuvant treatment in childhood pyogenic meningitis to attenuate host inflammatory responses to bacterial invasion. Assesses the effectiveness of dexamethasone in management of acute bacterial meningitis in a developing country. Describes a double-blind, place controlled trial of 598 children with pyogenic meningitis who had been admitted to the children's wards of the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi. Physical, neurological, developmental and hearing assessments were carried out at 1 and 6 months after discharge. Found that steroids are not an effective adjuvant treatment in children with acute bacterial meningitis in developing countries. (Original abstract - amended)
ISSN:0140-6736