Bacterial meningitis in the elderly

Arch Intern Med. 1984 Aug;144(8):1603-7.

Abstract

To assess the implications of meningitis in a more mature population, we reviewed the records of patients with meningitis: 71 aged 50 years and older and 138 patients aged 15 to 49 years. Among the older population, 54 (76%) had bacterial, nine (13%) had granulomatous, and eight (11%) had aseptic meningitis. Among the cases of bacterial meningitis in the older age group, Streptococcus pneumoniae accounted for 24% (13/54) and enteric bacilli accounted for 17% (9/54). Serious complications occurred in 38 elderly patients (70%) with bacterial meningitis, and mortality occurred in 24 (44%). In the younger age group with bacterial meningitis, the complication rate and mortality were 41% (13/32) and 13% (4/32), respectively. Meningitis in the elderly is likely to be bacterial and to cause greater morbidity and mortality.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Bacterial Infections / diagnosis*
  • Bacterial Infections / mortality
  • Enterobacteriaceae Infections / complications
  • Enterobacteriaceae Infections / diagnosis
  • Enterobacteriaceae Infections / mortality
  • Female
  • Gram-Negative Bacteria
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Meningitis / complications
  • Meningitis / diagnosis*
  • Meningitis / mortality
  • Meningitis, Pneumococcal / complications
  • Meningitis, Pneumococcal / diagnosis
  • Meningitis, Pneumococcal / mortality
  • Middle Aged
  • Pneumonia / complications
  • Prognosis
  • Retrospective Studies