Majallah-i Dānishgāh-i ̒Ulūm-i Pizishkī-i Bābul (Mar 2024)
The Relationship between Hyponatremia and Bacterial and Non-Bacterial Meningitis and Its Complications
Abstract
Background and Objective: Considering the lack of knowledge and the difference in the prevalence of hyponatremia in non-bacterial meningitis and bacterial meningitis, this study was conducted with the aim of determining the relationship between hyponatremia and bacterial and non-bacterial meningitis and its complications. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 183 children with meningitis referred to Shafizadeh Amirkola Children's Hospital in three age groups: 1 month to 2 years, 2-5 years, and 5-18 years. Based on cerebrospinal fluid analysis, cases of bacterial meningitis were considered to be WBC>100 with preference for PMN, glucose less than 40% of serum sugar and protein more than 1 g/L or positive culture or smear. Cases of non-bacterial meningitis were considered as WBC<100 with preference for lymphocyte, glucose more than 60% of serum sugar and protein less than 1 g/L or negative culture or smear. Gender of children, duration of hospitalization and occurrence of seizures in two groups of bacterial and non-bacterial meningitis with and without hyponatremia were investigated and compared. Findings: In this study, the mean age of boys (68.26±47.10) with meningitis was higher than that of girls (42.56±32.50) (p<0.001). The mean age of meningitis patients with hyponatremia (51.87±47.56) was lower than that of patients without hyponatremia (72.54±45.03) (p=0.002). The frequency of hyponatremia in children with meningitis aged less than 2 years compared to other age groups (52 patients) (p=0.002), as well as infants who had seizure (37 patients) (p=0.001) has been significantly higher. In children who had hyponatremia, the duration of hospitalization was significantly longer (108 patients) (p=0.01). Conclusion: Based on the results of the present study, it was found that younger children are at greater risk for hyponatremia, and the presence of hyponatremia at the beginning of diagnosis suggests a greater risk for seizures and increased length of hospitalization. However, the risk of hyponatremia in both types of bacterial and non-bacterial meningitis is almost the same.
