Review: Adjuvant corticosteroid therapy reduces death, hearing loss, and neurologic sequelae in bacterial meningitis

04/13/2004

Background:

• Pier: Procedure > No relevant module available
• UpToDate (link works from UTHSCSA computers): Treatment and prevention of bacterial meningitis

Article:

van de Beek D, de Gans J, McIntyre P, Prasad K. Corticosteroids in acute bacterial meningitis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2003;(3):CD004305. [PubMed ID: 12918010] **Please note the ERRATUM at the end of the abstract which explaining that the RCT below was published during the systematic review, but was not included**

de Gans J, van de Beek D; European Dexamethasone in Adulthood Bacterial Meningitis Study Investigators. Dexamethasone in adults with bacterial meningitis. N Engl J Med. 2002 Nov 14;347(20):1549-56.
[PubMed ID: 12432041]

Reviews from ACP Journal Club:

Review: Adjuvant corticosteroid therapy reduces death, hearing loss, and neurologic sequelae in bacterial meningitis.
ACP Journal Club. March/April 2004 - Volume 140, Number 2

Dexamethasone improved disability in acute bacterial meningitis. May/June 2003 - Volume 138, Number 3 (This is the review of the latter RCT)