Table 4 Comparison of background characteristics by dexamethasone treatment of patients treated as bacterial meningitis in Ethiopia, 2011–2015
Characteristics | Dexamethasone | No dexamethasone | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
Mean age, year (SD) | 30.1 (15.0) | 33.9 (16.2) | 0.116 |
Duration of illness, days (SD) | 5.2 (4.3) | 5.0 (4.3) | 0.683 |
Diagnosis of meningitis | |||
 Confirmed | 12 (85.7) | 2 (14.3) | 0.001* |
 Probable | 51 (62.2) | 31 (37.8) | |
 Suspected | 84 (42.9) | 112 (57.1) | |
 Non-cases | 67 (50.4) | 66 (49.6) | |
Prior antibiotic treatment | |||
 Yes | 45 (43.3) | 59 (56.7) | 0.096 |
 No | 169 (52.6) | 152 (47.4) | |
Impairment of consciousness | |||
 Yes | 102 (52.0) | 94 (48) | 0.52 |
 No | 112 (48.9) | 117 (51.1) | |
Focal neurologic deficit | |||
 Yes | 22 (66.7) | 11 (33.3) | 0.051 |
 No | 192 (49.0) | 200 (51.0) | |
CSF appearance | |||
 Turbid | 37 (64.9) | 20 (35.1) | <0.001* |
 Normal | 68 (38.2) | 110 (61.8) | |
Detection of organism by Gram stain | |||
 Yes | 11 (84.6) | 2 (15.4) | 0.003* |
 No | 89 ((43.0) | 118 (57.0) | |
HIV status | |||
 Positive | 7 (30.4) | 16 (69.6) | 0.048* |
 Negative | 207 (51.6) | 194 (48.4) | |
Hospital | |||
 Jimma | 52 (42.6) | 70 (57.4) | <0.001 |
 Gondar | 24 (26.1) | 68 (73.9) | |
 Hawassa | 65 (76.5) | 20 (23.5) | |
 Arba Minch | 73 (57.9) | 53 (42.1) | |