Frontiers in Neurology (Sep 2024)

Relationship between serum prealbumin level and prognosis of community-acquired bacterial meningitis in adults: a retrospective cohort study

  • Jing Shang,
  • Lanping Xue,
  • Hongping Zhao,
  • Xiaopeng Cui,
  • Lijuan Shangguan,
  • Hailong Wang,
  • Xinyi Li

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2024.1424069
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 15

Abstract

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BackgroundLow serum prealbumin levels have been identified as a predictor of infectious complication in critically ill patients. However, the association in patients with Community-acquired bacterial meningitis (CABM) remains unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship of prealbumin and the poor outcome of CABM through a retrospective cohort study.MethodsA total of 77 patients of CABM were enrolled. They were divided into good outcome group (GOS: 5) and a bad outcome group (GOS: 1–4). Serum prealbumin and other clinical records were measured within 24 h after admission.ResultsAmong the included patients, 38(65.52%) had a bad outcome (the GOS score between 1 and 4). The mean age of the overall cohort was 45.3 ± 15.9 years, and 58.6% of patients were male. The mean prealbumin level in the bad outcome group was 115.4 ± 49.4 mmol/L, while the mean level in the good outcome group was 199.1 ± 49.3 mmol/L (p < 0.001). Individuals with plasma prealbumin level ≤180 mmol/L had a 3.32-fold higher risk of CABM than those with normal plasma prealbumin level [OR = 4.32 (1.02 ~ 18.24), p < 0.05].ConclusionReduced plasma prealbumin level is independently associated with the poor outcome of CABM. Plasma prealbumin level might help to identify patients at high risk of bad outcome.

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