All issues > Volume 2(2); 1959

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1959;2(2):121-130. Published online September 30, 1959.

A statistical study on Tuberculous Meningitis in Korean Children

Chong moo Park¹, Kun Wan Chang¹, Chang Wha Song¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, Presbyterian Hospital Taegu, Korea

Abstract

The sequences of patient of tuberculous meningitis at the Children’s hospital and Presbyterean hospital, Taegu, Korea, during past 4 years and 4 months has been studied. The treatment consisted in most cases of prolonged combined therapy of PAS and INH with intramuscular arid intrathecal administration of streptomycin. 12 far advanced tuberculous meningitis were treated with hydrocortisone in .addition to combined regimen. The prognosis of tuberculous meningitis were considered largely depend on the stage of disease. Of 35 patients in early stage of the disease, 94% survived, of 47 patients of intermediate cases, 68% survived, and of 80 advanced cases, 36% survived. The prognosis of those less than three years of age was worse than that of the older age group, although it was not so much influential on prognosis than the stage of disease. A poorer prognosis was noted in patients with miliary tubeculosis, but there was no difference in type of disease, if they were treated in early stage. Residual neurologic sequelae such as deafness (1 case) and hearing impairment (2 cases) were found in three patients those who recieved SM intrathecally. Summary; 1.The average incidence of tuberculosis, per annum, was 7.3% in the hospital, and 7.6% of tuberulous patients were meningeal Tb. 2.The highest age incidence in children had occured between the age of 2 to 4. 3.The highest seasonal incidence was in Spring(Marcli to May.) 38% and Summer was the lowest. 4.Male children were much prominent in sex incidence at the ratio of 2:1. 5.Socio-economic factors in underprivileged area lead to poorer prognosis for delaying diagnosis and treatment, therefore the mortality rate naturaly would be higher. 6.Stage of disease, age, presence of miliary disease, and degree of involvement of the neroous system infuluence prognosis greatly. 7.The onset of tuberculous meningitis seems closely related to measles which were preceeding maningitis, especially in young children.

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