Role of Emergency Medicine in Identifying and Stabilizing Acute Neuroinfections

Abstract

Objective:  Emergency medicine's contribution to early detection, imaging-based diagnosis, and initial stabilization of patients with acute neuroinfections (meningitis and encephalitis) in the context of tertiary care hospital care.

Materials and Methods:  For this study, doctors observed patients in the Emergency Department of Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar. A total of 200 patients who were suspected of having serious brain or nervous system infections were included. Their symptoms were checked, and brain scans using CT and MRI were done. The treatments given to patients were also recorded. The doctors compared the patients’ symptoms with their scan results to see how well they matched. Finally, the findings were also compared with results from other studies in the medical literature.

Results:  Out of 200 patients, 112 (56%) were male and 88 (44%) females, with a mean age of 34.2 ± 13.8 years. Sixty-one percent (61%) received a CT scan; 29% received an MRI scan, and 10% received both CT and MRI scans. The final diagnoses were bacterial meningitis (36%), viral encephalitis (19%), tuberculous meningitis (17%), brain abscess (14%), fungal infections (8%), and ventriculitis (6%). 

Conclusion:  The early recognition and stabilization of CNS infections play a critical role for EDs. Early management (prompt neuroimaging, high clinical suspicion, and early empiric therapy initiation) is an important part of early management and improved outcomes.