Sepsis and meningitis in hospitalized children: performance of clinical signs and their prediction rules in a case-control study

Verbakel, Jan; MacFaul, Roderick; Aertgeerts, Bert; Buntinx, Frank; Thompson, Matthew

doi:10.1097/PEC.0000000000000142

Sepsis and meningitis in hospitalized children: performance of clinical signs and their prediction rules in a case-control study

Author:

Verbakel, Jan

MacFaul, Roderick ; Aertgeerts, Bert ; Buntinx, Frank ; Thompson, Matthew

Keywords:

Science & Technology, Life Sciences & Biomedicine, Emergency Medicine, Pediatrics, bacterial meningitis and sepsis, clinical prediction rules, diagnostic accuracy, NICE guideline feverish illness, serious bacterial infection in children, YOUNG FEBRILE CHILDREN, SERIOUS INFECTIONS, ENGLAND, FEVER, VALIDATION, BACTEREMIA, ADMISSIONS, DECISIONS, ACCURACY, ILLNESS, Adolescent, Case-Control Studies, Child, Child, Hospitalized, Child, Preschool, Decision Support Techniques, Female, Humans, Infant, Male, Meningitis, Sepsis, United Kingdom, 1114 Paediatrics and Reproductive Medicine, Emergency & Critical Care Medicine, 3213 Paediatrics

Abstract:

Feverish illness is a common presentation to acute pediatric services. Clinical staff faces the challenge of differentiating the few children with meningitis or sepsis from the majority with self-limiting illness. We aimed to determine the diagnostic value of clinical features and their prediction rules (CPR) for identifying children with sepsis or meningitis among those children admitted to a District General Hospital with acute febrile illness.