Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38831205›Full record

ArticleInfection2024

Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on clinical characteristics and outcomes of adult pneumococcal meningitis patients - a Dutch prospective nationwide cohort study.

Fabian D Liechti, Merijn W Bijlsma, Matthijs C Brouwer, Diederik van de Beek

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Infection, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteremia: comparison of incidence, epidemiology, and clinical outcome in a pre- and post-COVID-19 period.European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases : official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Fabian D LiechtiAmsterdam UMC, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, PO Box 22660, Amsterdam, 1100DD, Netherlands.
Merijn W BijlsmaDepartment of Paediatrics, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Matthijs C BrouwerAmsterdam UMC, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, PO Box 22660, Amsterdam, 1100DD, Netherlands.
Diederik van de BeekAmsterdam UMC, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, PO Box 22660, Amsterdam, 1100DD, Netherlands. d.vandebeek@amsterdamumc.nl.

Funding

European Research Council 101001237European Research Council 281156Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung 206639ZonMw 917.17.308ZonMw 918.19.627
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo investigate clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with pneumococcal meningitis during the COVID-19 pandemic.

methodsIn a Dutch prospective cohort, risk factors and clinical characteristics of pneumococcal meningitis episodes occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic (starting March 2020) were compared with those from baseline and the time afterwards. Outcomes were compared with an age-adjusted logistic regression model.

resultsWe included 1,699 patients in 2006-2020, 50 patients in 2020-2021, and 182 patients in 2021-2023. After March 2020 relatively more alcoholism was reported (2006-2020, 6.1%; 2020-2021, 18%; 2021-2023, 9.7%; P = 0.002) and otitis-sinusitis was less frequently reported (2006-2020, 45%; 2020-2021, 22%; 2021-2023, 47%; P = 0.006). Other parameters, i.e. age, sex, symptom duration or initial C-reactive protein level, remained unaffected. Compared to baseline, lumbar punctures were more frequently delayed (on admission day, 2006-2020, 89%; 2020-2021, 74%; 2021-2022, 86%; P = 0.002) and outcomes were worse ('good recovery', 2020-2021, OR 0.5, 95% CI 0.3-0.8).

conclusionDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, we observed worse outcomes in patients with pneumococcal meningitis. This may be explained by differing adherence to restrictions according to risk groups or by reduced health care quality.

Indexed as

COVID-19Meningitis, PneumococcalAdultAgedAged, 80 and overCohort StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNetherlandsPandemicsProspective StudiesRisk FactorsSARS-CoV-2AlcoholismBacterial meningitisCOVID-19Pneumococcal meningitisQuality of health careStreptococcus pneumoniae

Identifiers

PMID38831205
PMCPMC11499351

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.