Table 1 Clinical, laboratory and diagnostic investigations of patients who received <14 days and ≥ 14 days of acyclovir therapy
From: Should a hospitalized child receive empiric treatment with acyclovir?
<14 days (n=259) | ≥14 days (n=30) | Odds ratio (95% CI) | p value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Clinical variables, history | ||||
Age (years), median (range) | 3.8 (0.01-18) | 6.8 (0.07 – 16.7) | 0.2 | |
Sex (male), n (%) | 152 (59) | 13 (43) | 0.5 (0.2 – 1.2) | 0.1 |
History of fever, n (%) | 171 (66) | 19 (63) | 0.9 (0.4-2.0) | 0.8 |
History of seizure, n (%) | 120 (46) | 13 (43) | 0.9 (0.4-1.9) | 0.8 |
History of headache, n (%) | 70 (27) | 9 (30) | 1.1 (0.5-2.6) | 0.7 |
History of mucocutaneous HSV, n (%) | 3 (0.8) | 3 (10) | 14.3 (2.3 – 89) | <0.01* |
Clinical variables, physical examination | ||||
Fever (≥38 C), n (%) | 95 (37) | 12 (40) | 1.2 (0.5 – 2.5) | 0.7 |
Glasgow Coma Scale ≤ 13, n (%) | 80 (32) | 16 (53) | 2.5 (1.2-5.3) | 0.02* |
Focal neurologic findings, n (%) | 30 (12) | 11 (37) | 4.4 (1.9-10.2) | 0.001* |
Seizure in ED, n (%) | 38 (15) | 5 (17) | 1.2 (0.4 – 3.2) | 0.7 |
Initial laboratory measures | ||||
WBC, mean (±SD) | 13.1 (7.9) | 12.7 (6.3) | 0.8 | |
CSF corrected WBC, median (range) | 4 (0-838) | 16 (0-650) | 0.05* | |
CSF protein, median (range) | 0.3 (0.1-830) | 0.4 (0.1-44) | 0.8 | |
Diagnostic investigations | ||||
CT head abnormal, n/N completed (%) | 33/194 (17) | 7/17 (41) | 3.4 (1.2-9.6) | 0.03* |
MRI head abnormal, n/N completed (%) | 46/98 (47) | 17/24 (71) | 2.7 (1.0-7.2) | 0.04* |
EEG abnormal, n/N completed (%) | 52/128 (41) | 16/22 (73) | 3.9 (1.4-10.6) | 0.005* |